Efficient signaling of reference picture sets

ABSTRACT

A video coder can select which reference pictures should be signaled in a parameter set such as a picture parameter set (PPS) and which reference pictures should be signaled in a slice header such that when a video decoder constructs a reference picture set, the video decoder does not need to reorder the reference picture set to construct an initial reference picture list for a slice of video data.

This application claims the benefit of:

U.S. Provisional Application 61/545,525 filed 10 Oct. 2011; and,

U.S. Provisional Application 61/550,276 filed 21 Oct. 2011,

the entire content of each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to video coding and, more particularly, to techniques for coding video data.

BACKGROUND

Digital video capabilities can be incorporated into a wide range of devices, including digital televisions, digital direct broadcast systems, wireless broadcast systems, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop or desktop computers, tablet computers, e-book readers, digital cameras, digital recording devices, digital media players, video gaming devices, video game consoles, cellular or satellite radio telephones, so-called “smart phones,” video teleconferencing devices, video streaming devices, and the like. Digital video devices implement video compression techniques, such as those described in the standards defined by MPEG-2, MPEG-4, ITU-T H.263, ITU-T H.264/MPEG-4, Part 10, Advanced Video Coding (AVC), the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard presently under development, and extensions of such standards. The video devices may transmit, receive, encode, decode, and/or store digital video information more efficiently by implementing such video compression techniques.

Video compression techniques perform spatial (intra-picture) prediction and/or temporal (inter-picture) prediction to reduce or remove redundancy inherent in video sequences. For block-based video coding, a video slice (i.e., a video picture or a portion of a video picture) may be partitioned into video blocks, which may also be referred to as treeblocks, coding tree blocks (CTBs), coding tree units (CTUs), coding units (CUs) and/or coding nodes. Video blocks in an intra-coded (I) slice of a picture are encoded using spatial prediction with respect to reference samples in neighboring blocks in the same picture. Video blocks in an inter-coded (P or B) slice of a picture may use spatial prediction with respect to reference samples in neighboring blocks in the same picture or temporal prediction with respect to reference samples in other reference pictures. Pictures may be referred to as frames, and reference pictures may be referred to a reference frames.

Spatial or temporal prediction results in a predictive block for a block to be coded. Residual data represents pixel differences between the original block to be coded and the predictive block. An inter-coded block is encoded according to a motion vector that points to a block of reference samples forming the predictive block, and the residual data indicating the difference between the coded block and the predictive block. An intra-coded block is encoded according to an intra-coding mode and the residual data. For further compression, the residual data may be transformed from the pixel domain to a transform domain, resulting in residual transform coefficients, which then may be quantized. The quantized transform coefficients, initially arranged in a two-dimensional array, may be scanned in order to produce a one-dimensional vector of transform coefficients, and entropy coding may be applied to achieve even more compression.

SUMMARY

The techniques of this disclosure are generally directed to the management of reference pictures that are used for inter-prediction in a video coding process. More specifically, the techniques of this disclosure are directed to selecting which reference pictures should be signaled in a parameter set such as a picture parameter set (PPS) and which reference pictures should be signaled in a slice header such that when a video decoder constructs a reference picture set, the video decoder does not need to reorder the reference picture set to construct an initial reference picture list for a slice of video data.

In one example, a method for coding video data includes determining that a reference picture set for a current picture is to be constructed from reference pictures identified in a parameter set and reference pictures identified in a slice header, wherein a distance between the current picture and any of the reference pictures identified in the slice header in terms of output order is greater than a distance between the current picture and any of the reference pictures identified in the parameter set; and constructing the reference picture set based on the reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the slice header.

In another example, a device for coding video data includes a video coder configured to determine that a reference picture set for a current picture is to be constructed from reference pictures identified in a parameter set and reference pictures identified in a slice header, wherein a distance between the current picture and any of the reference pictures identified in the slice header in terms of output order is greater than a distance between the current picture and any of the reference pictures identified in the parameter set; and construct the reference picture set based on the reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the slice header.

In another example, a device for coding video data includes means for determining that a reference picture set for a current picture is to be constructed from reference pictures identified in a parameter set and reference pictures identified in a slice header, wherein a distance between the current picture and any of the reference pictures identified in the slice header in terms of output order is greater than a distance between the current picture and any of the reference pictures identified in the parameter set; and means for constructing the reference picture set based on the reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the slice header.

In another example, A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instruction, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine that a reference picture set for a current picture is to be constructed from reference pictures identified in a parameter set and reference pictures identified in a slice header, wherein a distance between the current picture and any of the reference pictures identified in the slice header in terms of output order is greater than a distance between the current picture and any of the reference pictures identified in the parameter set; and construct the reference picture set based on the reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the slice header.

The details of one or more examples are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example video encoding and decoding system that may utilize techniques described in this disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example video sequence that includes a plurality of pictures that are encoded and transmitted.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example video encoder that may implement the techniques described in this disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example video decoder that may implement the techniques described in this disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation of deriving a reference picture set.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation of constructing a reference picture list.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation of constructing a reference picture list.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The techniques of this disclosure are generally directed to the management of reference pictures that are used for inter-prediction in a video coding process. More specifically, the techniques of this disclosure are directed to selecting which reference pictures should be signaled in a parameter set such as a picture parameter set (PPS) and which reference pictures should be signaled in a slice header such that when a video decoder constructs a reference picture set, the video decoder does not need to reorder the reference picture set to construct an initial reference picture list for a slice of video data.

A video coder (e.g., a video encoder or a video decoder) typically includes a decoded picture buffer (DPB). The DPB stores decoded pictures, including reference pictures. Reference pictures are pictures that can potentially be used for inter-predicting a picture. Thus, the video coder can predict a block of a picture currently being coded based on one or more blocks of reference pictures stored in the DPB.

To efficiently utilize the DPB, the DPB management process may be specified in a manner that a video encoder knows which reference pictures will be available to a video decoder. Aspects of DPB management that may be specified include, for example, the storage process of decoded pictures in the DPB, the marking process of the reference pictures, the output and removal process of the decoded pictures from the DPB, and so forth. In general, in some current and developing video coding standards, the DPB management may include one or more of the following aspects: picture identification and reference picture identification, reference picture list construction, reference picture marking, picture output from the DPB, picture insertion into the DPB, and picture removal from the DPB.

To assist with understanding, the following description provides a brief overview of how reference picture marking and reference picture list construction may occur in accordance with some video coding standards. For reference picture marking, the maximum number, referred to as M (num_ref_frames), of reference pictures used for inter-prediction is indicated in the active sequence parameter set. When a reference picture is decoded, it is marked as “used for reference.” If the decoding of the reference picture caused more than M pictures to be marked as “used for reference,” at least one picture must be marked as “unused for reference.” The DPB removal process then would remove pictures marked as “unused for reference” from the DPB if they are not needed for output as well.

When a picture is decoded, it may be either a non-reference picture or a reference picture. A reference picture may be a long-term reference picture or short-term reference picture, and when a reference picture is marked as “unused for reference,” it may become no longer needed for reference. In some video coding standards, there may be reference picture marking operations that change the status of the reference pictures.

There may be two types of control operations for the reference picture marking, generally referred to as sliding window control and adaptive memory control. The operation mode for reference picture marking may be selected on a per picture basis. A sliding window operation may work as a first-in-first-out queue with a fixed number of short-term reference pictures. In other words, in a sliding window operation, short-term reference pictures with the earliest decoding times may be the first to be removed (marked as picture not used for reference), in an implicit fashion.

An adaptive memory control operation, in contrast, removes short-term or long-term reference pictures explicitly. It also enables switching the status of the short-term and long-term reference pictures, etc. For example, in an adaptive memory control operation, a video encoder may signal syntax elements that specify which pictures should be marked as used for reference. The video decoder may receive the syntax elements and mark the pictures as specified. Unlike with an adaptive memory control operation, in a sliding window operation, the video encoder may not need to signal which pictures should be marked as used for reference. Rather, the video decoder may implicitly (i.e., without receiving syntax elements) determine which pictures should be marked as used for reference based on which pictures are within the sliding window.

The video coder may also be tasked with constructing, for each slice of video, reference picture lists that indicate which reference pictures may be used for inter-prediction purposes. Two of these reference picture lists are referred to as List 0 and List 1, respectively. The video coder firstly employs default construction techniques to construct List 0 and List 1 (e.g., preconfigured construction schemes for constructing List 0 and List 1) for a slice of video. Optionally, after the initial List 0 and List 1 are constructed, the video decoder may decode syntax elements, when present, that instruct the video decoder to modify the initial List 0 and List 1.

The video encoder may signal syntax elements that are indicative of identifier(s) of reference pictures in the DPB, and the video encoder may also signal syntax elements that include indices, within List 0, List 1, or both List 0 and List 1, that indicate which reference picture or pictures to use to decode a coded block of a current picture. The video decoder, in turn, uses the received identifier to identify the index value or values for a reference picture or reference pictures listed in List 0, List1, or both List 0 and List 1. From the index value(s) as well as the identifier(s) of the reference picture or reference pictures, the video decoder retrieves the reference picture or reference pictures, or part(s) thereof, from the DPB, and decodes the coded block of the current picture based on the retrieved reference picture or pictures and one or more motion vectors that identify blocks within the reference picture or pictures that are used for decoding the coded block.

A reference picture list construction for the first or the second reference picture list of a bi-predicted picture can include two steps: reference picture list initialization and reference picture list modification (also referred to as reference picture list reordering). The reference picture list initialization may be an implicit mechanism that puts the reference pictures in the reference picture memory (also known as decoded picture buffer) into a list based on the order of POC (Picture Order Count, aligned with display order of a picture) values. The reference picture list reordering mechanism may modify the position of a picture that was put in the list during the reference picture list initialization to any new position, or put any reference picture in the reference picture memory in any position even the picture does not belong to the initialized list. Some pictures after the reference picture list reordering (modification), may be put in a very further position in the list. However, if a position of a picture exceeds the number of active reference pictures of the list, the picture is not considered as an entry of the final reference picture list. The number of active reference pictures of may be signaled in the slice header for each list.

The techniques described in this disclosure may be applicable to various video coding standards. Examples of the video coding standards include ITU-T H.261, ISO/IEC MPEG-1 Visual, ITU-T H.262 or ISO/IEC MPEG-2 Visual, ITU-T H.263, ISO/IEC MPEG-4 Visual and ITU-T H.264 (also known as ISO/IEC MPEG-4 AVC), including its Scalable Video Coding (SVC) and Multiview Video Coding (MVC) extensions. In addition, there is a new video coding standard, namely High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), being developed by the Joint Collaboration Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) of ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) and ISO/IEC Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG).

For purposes of illustration only, the techniques are described in context of the HEVC standard. A recent Working Draft (WD) of HEVC, and referred to as HEVC WD8 hereinafter, is available, as of 8 Oct. 2012, from http://phenix.int-evry.fr/jct/doc_end_user/documents/10_Stockholm/wg11/JCTVC-J1003-v8.zip.

In accordance with techniques described in this disclosure, the reference picture lists are constructed from a reference picture set. A reference picture set is generally defined as a set of reference pictures associated with a picture, consisting of all reference pictures that are prior to the associated picture in decoding order and that may be used for inter prediction of blocks in the associated picture or any picture following the associated picture in decoding order, for example, until the next instantaneous decoding refresh (IDR) picture, or broken link access (BLA) picture. In other words, reference pictures in the reference picture set may require the following characteristics: (1) they are all prior to the current picture in decoding order, and (2) they may be used for inter-predicting the current picture and/or inter-predicting any picture following the current picture in decoding order, and in some examples, any picture following the current picture in decoding order until the next IDR picture or BLA picture. There may be other alternate definitions of the reference picture set, which are provided below.

In the example techniques described in this disclosure, the video coder (such as a video encoder or video decoder) may derive the reference picture set, and after such derivation, the video coder may construct the reference picture lists for slices of video data. For instance, only reference pictures in the reference picture set may be candidate reference pictures that are used to construct the reference picture lists for the slices.

To construct the reference picture set, the video coder may construct a plurality of reference picture subsets. The combination of the reference picture subsets may together form the reference picture set. For example, a video encoder may explicitly signal, in a coded bitstream, values that allow a video decoder to determine identifiers for the reference pictures that are included in the reference picture set. For instance, the identifiers of the reference pictures may be the picture order counts. Each picture is associated with one picture order count, referred to as PicOrderCnt. PicOrderCnt indicates the output order or display order of the corresponding picture relative to the previous IDR picture in decoding order, and, in some other alternatives, indicates the position of the associated picture in output order relative to the output order positions of the other pictures in the same coded video sequence.

The PicOrderCnt may be referred to as a picture order count (POC) value. A POC value may indicate the output or display order of a picture, and may be used to identify a picture. For example, within a coded video sequence, a picture with a smaller POC value is outputted or displayed earlier than a picture with larger POC value.

The video decoder may determine the identifiers for the reference pictures, and from these identifiers, the video decoder can construct the plurality of reference picture subsets. From these reference picture subsets, the video decoder may derive the reference picture set, as described in more detail below. In some examples, each of the reference picture subsets includes different reference pictures, meaning that there is no overlap of reference pictures in the reference picture subsets. In this way, each of the reference pictures may be in only one of the reference picture subsets, and in no other reference picture subset. However, aspects of this disclosure should not be considered so limited.

After determining the identifiers (e.g., POC values) of the reference pictures in the reference picture set or its subsets, the video decoder may construct the reference picture subsets. As described in more detail below, the video decoder may construct six reference picture subsets, although it may be possible for the video decoder to construct more or fewer reference picture subsets.

These six reference picture subsets are named: RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, RefPicSetStFoll1, RefPicSetLtCurr, and RefPicSetLtFoll. The RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset may be referred to as the RefPicSetStCurrBefore reference picture subset, and the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset maybe referred to as the RefPicSetStCurrAfter reference picture subset.

The RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, and RefPicSetStFoll1 reference picture subsets may identify short-term reference pictures. In some examples, these reference picture subsets may identify short-term reference pictures based on whether the short-term reference pictures are earlier in display order or later in display order than the current picture being coded, as well as whether the short-term reference pictures can potentially be used for inter-predicting the current picture and pictures following the current picture in decoding order, or can potentially be used for inter-predicting only the pictures following the current picture in decoding order.

For example, the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset may include, and may only include, identification information, such as POC values, of all short-term reference pictures that have an earlier output or display order than the current picture, and that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of the current picture, and can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order. The RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset may include, and may only include, identification information of all short-term reference pictures that have a later output or display order than the current picture and that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of the current picture, and can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order.

The RefPicSetStFoll0 reference picture subset may include, and may only include, identification information of all short-term reference pictures that have an earlier output or display order than the current picture, that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order, and that cannot be used for reference in inter-prediction of the current picture. The RefPicSetStFoll1 reference picture subset may include, and may only include, identification information of all short-term reference pictures that have a later output or display order than the current picture, that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order, and that cannot be used for reference in inter-prediction of the current picture.

The RefPicSetLtCurr and the RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subsets may identify long-term reference pictures. In some examples, these reference picture subsets may identify long-term reference pictures based on whether the long-term reference pictures are earlier in display order or later in display order than the current picture being coded.

For example, the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset may include, and may only include, the identification information of all long-term reference pictures that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of the current picture, and that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order. The RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subset may include, and may only include, the identification information of all long-term reference pictures that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order, and that cannot be used for reference in inter-prediction of the current picture.

After constructing the reference picture subsets, the video decoder may order the reference picture subsets in different order to derive the reference picture set. As one example, the order of the reference picture set may be RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetSetCurr1, RefPicSetFoll0, RefPicSetFoll1, RefPicSetLtCurr, and RefPicSetLtFoll. However, other ordering of the subsets may be possible to derive the reference picture set. For instance, as another example, the order of the reference picture set may be the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset, followed by the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture set, followed by the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset, followed by the RefPicSetStFoll0 reference picture subset, followed by the RefPicSetFoll1 reference picture subset, and followed by RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subset.

In accordance with the techniques described in this disclosure, the RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, and RefPicSetLtCurr subsets include all reference pictures that may be used in inter-prediction of a block in the current picture and that may be used in inter-prediction of one or more of the pictures following the current picture in decoding order. The RefPicSetStFoll0, RefPicSetStFoll1, and RefPicSetLtFoll subsets include all reference pictures that are not used in inter-prediction of the block in the current picture, but may be used in inter-prediction of one or more of the pictures following the current picture in decoding order.

It should be understood that the six reference picture subsets are described for illustration purposes only, and should not be considered limiting. In alternate examples, there may be more or fewer reference picture subsets. Such reference picture subsets, in these alternate examples, are described in more detail below.

In some techniques described in this disclosure, the video decoder may not need to mark decoded pictures as “used for reference,” “unused for reference,” “used for short-term reference,” or “used for long-term reference.” Rather, whether a decoded picture stored in the DPB is needed for inter-prediction is indicated by whether it is included in the reference picture set of the current picture. In alternate examples, it may be possible that the video decoder marks decoded pictures as “used for reference,” “unused for reference,” “used for short-term reference,” or “used for long-term reference.” In these examples, after the video decoder decodes a picture, it is a reference picture and marked as “used for reference.” Then, after invocation of the process for reference picture set derivation, all reference pictures stored in the DPB, but not included in the reference picture set of the current picture are marked as “unused for reference,” before possible removal of decoded pictures from the DPB. Thus, whether a decoded picture stored in the DPB is needed for inter-prediction may be indicated by whether it is marked as “used for reference.”

Once the video decoder derives the reference picture set from the plurality of reference picture subsets, the video decoder may construct the reference picture lists (e.g., List 0 and List 1) from the reference picture set. For example, the construction of the reference picture lists may include an initialization step and possibly a modification step. By deriving the reference picture set in the manner described above, the video decoder may be able to improve the efficiency and reduce the complexity for reference picture list initialization and reference picture list modification.

There may be various ways in which the video decoder may construct the reference picture lists. The techniques described in this disclosure provide a mechanism by which the video decoder may construct reference picture lists without needing to reorder the reference pictures to be included in the (initial) reference picture list. For example, the video decoder may be configured to implement a default reference list construction technique in which the video decoder utilizes the reference picture subsets for constructing initial reference picture lists. Then, if reference picture list modification is not needed, the final reference picture lists may be the same as the initial reference picture lists, without needing any additional reordering of the reference picture lists.

As introduced above, some reference pictures of the reference picture set may be signaled in a picture parameter set (PPS) and the other reference pictures of the reference picture set may be signaled in the slice header. The video decoder can then construct the reference picture set using reference pictures in both the PPS and the slice header. However, these techniques may require the video decoder to reorder the constructed reference picture set before the video decoder can construct the initial reference picture list for a slice of video. This intermediate reordering step may waste processing cycles, and thereby increase the amount of time it takes the video decoder to decode a current picture.

To address this, as one example, this disclosure describes a “combine_with_reference_flag” syntax element, a “ref_pic_set_combination_idx” syntax element, a “ref_pic_set_offset0” syntax element, and a “ref_pic_set_offset1” syntax element that indicate which reference pictures a video decoder should use from the PPS to construct the reference picture set. The techniques also describe a limitation applied to which pictures can be included in the slice header. In this way, the video decoder may construct the reference picture set in such a manner that the video decoder does not need to reorder the reference picture set before constructing the initial reference picture list.

In the techniques of this disclosure, when the “combine_with_reference_flag” syntax element is set to true (e.g., has a value of 1), the video decoder determines that the reference picture set for the current picture will be constructed from reference pictures both in the PPS and in the slice header of the current picture. The “ref_pic_set_combination_idx” syntax element is a syntax element that identifies a candidate set of reference pictures within the PPS. As one illustrative example, there may be five candidates of reference pictures, and each candidate may include 10 reference pictures. The value of the “ref_pic_set_combination_idx” syntax element may refer to one of the five candidates, in this example.

The reference pictures in each of the candidates may be ordered according to their delta POC values. POC values indicate an output order of the pictures, and the delta POC values may be a difference between the POC value of the current picture and the POC value of the reference picture. As one example, the 10 reference pictures in one candidate set may have delta POC values of −5 to −1 and 1 to 5; however, other values are possible. In this example, the delta POC value of −5 means that the POC value of the reference picture minus the POC value of the current picture is −5. Because POC values indicate output order, a negative delta POC value may indicate that the reference picture is outputted (e.g., displayed) earlier than the current picture, and a positive delta POC value may indicate that the reference picture is outputted after the current picture.

The value of the ref_pic_set_offset0 syntax element indicates how many reference pictures that are earlier in output order than the current picture should be removed from the identified candidate. The value of the ref_pic_set_offset1 syntax element indicates how many reference pictures that are later in output order than the current picture should be removed from the identified candidate set. In some examples, the pictures that the video decoder removes are those that are the most distant from the current picture in output order.

For instance, assume that the values of the ref_pic_set_offset0 and ref_pic_set_offset1 are both equal to 2. In this example, the video decoder may remove 2 pictures from the reference pictures of the candidate identified by the ref_pic_set_combination_idx value. In the previous example, the reference pictures may be the reference pictures that correspond to delta POC values −5 to −1 and 1 to 5. In this example, the video decoder may remove two of the reference pictures that correspond to the reference pictures with delta POC values of −5 to −1, and two of the reference pictures that correspond to the reference pictures with delta POC values 1 to 5. Further, in some instances, the reference pictures that the video decoder removes may be the reference pictures that correspond to the delta POC values of −5, −4, 4, and 5 because these are the reference pictures that are furthest away from the current picture in output order.

Accordingly, in this example, the video decoder may determine that the video decoder should use 6 of the reference pictures in the identified candidate within the PPS. In particular, in this example, the reference pictures would be those that correspond to delta POC values −3 to −1 and 1 to 3.

The video decoder may then identify the remaining pictures of the reference picture set from the slice header of a slice. However, to ensure that the video decoder may not need to reorder the reference pictures set, there may be certain limitations placed on which reference pictures can be included in the slice header.

In some examples, the reference pictures identified in the slice header must be further in distance, in output order, than any of the reference pictures identified in the PPS. For instance, keeping with the previous example, a reference picture with a delta POC value of −6 or +6 may qualify as a reference picture that can be included in the slice header because this reference picture is further away than any of the reference pictures in the PPS.

The video decoder may then construct the reference picture set as a combination of two subsets. The first subset may include reference pictures that occur temporally prior to the current picture, and the second subset may include reference pictures that occur temporally subsequent to the current picture. The video decoder may order the reference pictures of the first subset in descending POC order starting from the reference picture that is closest to the current picture, as identified with the delta POC value in the PPS, to the reference picture that is furthest away from the current picture, as identified with the delta POC value in the slice header. The video decoder may order the reference pictures in the second subset in ascending POC order starting from the reference picture that is closest to the current picture, as identified with the delta POC value in the PPS, to the reference picture that is furthest away from the current picture, as identified with the delta POC value in the slice header. In this manner, the video decoder may construct the reference picture set in such a way that the video decoder may not need to reorder the reference picture set when the video decoder constructs the initial reference picture list.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example video encoding and decoding system 10 that may utilize techniques described in this disclosure. In general, a reference picture set is defined as a set of reference pictures associated with a picture. The reference picture set consists of all reference pictures that are prior to the associated picture in decoding order and that may be used for inter prediction of the associate picture or any picture following the associated picture in decoding order. In some examples, the reference pictures that are prior to the associated picture may be reference pictures until the next instantaneous decoding refresh (IDR) picture, or broken link access (BLA) picture. In other words, reference pictures in the reference picture set may all be prior to the current picture in decoding order. Also, the reference pictures in the reference picture set may be used for inter-predicting the current picture and/or inter-predicting any picture following the current picture in decoding order until the next IDR picture or BLA picture.

There may be other alternate definitions of reference picture set. For example, the reference picture set may be a set of reference pictures associated with a picture, consisting of all reference pictures, excluding the associated picture itself, that may be used for inter prediction of the associated picture or any picture following the associated picture in decoding order, and that have temporal_id less than or equal to that of the associated picture. The temporal_id may be a temporal identification value. The temporal identification value may be hierarchical value that indicates which pictures can be used for coding the current picture. In general, a picture with a particular temporal_id value can possibly be a reference picture for pictures with equal or greater temporal_id values, but not vice-versa. For example, a picture with a temporal_id value of 1 can possibly be a reference picture for pictures with temporal_id values of 1, 2, 3, . . . , but not for a picture with a temporal_id value of 0.

The lowest temporal_id value may also indicate the lowest display rate. For example, if a video decoder only decoded pictures with temporal_id values of 0, the display rate may be 7.5 pictures per second. If a video decoder only decoded pictures with temporal_id values of 0 and 1, the display rate may be 15 pictures per second, and so forth.

As another example, a reference picture set may be a set of reference pictures associated with a picture, consisting of all reference pictures, excluding the associated picture itself, that may be used for inter prediction of the associated picture or any picture following the associated picture in decoding order. As yet another example, the reference picture set may be defined as a set of reference pictures associated with a picture, consisting of all reference pictures, possibly including the associated picture itself, that may be used for inter prediction of the associated picture or any picture following the associated picture in decoding order. As another example, the reference picture set may be defined as a set of reference pictures associated with a picture, consisting of all reference pictures, possibly including the associated picture itself, that may be used for inter prediction of the associated picture or any picture following the associated picture in decoding order, and that have temporal_id less than or equal to that of the associated picture.

As yet another example, in the above definitions of a reference picture set, the phrase “may be used for inter prediction” is replaced with “are used for inter prediction.” Although there may be alternate definitions of the reference picture set, in this disclosure, the examples are described with the definition of the reference picture set being a set of reference pictures associated with a picture, consisting of all reference pictures that are prior to the associated picture in decoding order, that may be used for inter prediction of the associate picture or any picture following the associated picture in decoding order.

For example, some of the reference pictures in the reference picture set are reference pictures that can potentially be used to inter-predict a block of the current picture, and not pictures following the current picture in decoding order. Some of the reference pictures in the reference picture set are reference pictures that can potentially be used to inter-predict a block of the current picture, and blocks in one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order. Some of the reference pictures in the reference picture set are reference pictures that can potentially be used to inter-predict blocks in one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order, and cannot be used to inter-predict a block in the current picture.

As used in this disclosure, reference pictures that can potentially be used for inter-prediction refer to reference pictures that can be used for inter-prediction, but do not necessarily have to be used for inter-prediction. For example, the reference picture set may identify reference pictures that can potentially be used for inter-prediction. However, this does not mean that all of the identified reference pictures must be used for inter-prediction. Rather, one or more of these identified reference pictures could be used for inter-prediction, but all do not necessarily have to be used for inter-prediction.

As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that generates encoded video for decoding by destination device 14. Source device 12 and destination device 14 may each be an example of a video coding device. Source device 12 may transmit the encoded video to destination device 14 via communication channel 16 or may store the encoded video on a storage medium 17 or a file server 19, such that the encoded video may be accessed by the destination device 14 as desired.

Source device 12 and destination device 14 may comprise any of a wide range of devices, including a wireless handset such as so-called “smart” phones, so-called “smart” pads, or other such wireless devices equipped for wireless communication. Additional examples of source device 12 and destination device 14 include, but are not limited to, a digital television, a device in digital direct broadcast system, a device in wireless broadcast system, a personal digital assistants (PDA), a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, an e-book reader, a digital camera, a digital recording device, a digital media player, a video gaming device, a video game console, a cellular radio telephone, a satellite radio telephone, a video teleconferencing device, and a video streaming device, a wireless communication device, or the like.

As indicated above, in many cases, source device 12 and/or destination device 14 may be equipped for wireless communication. Hence, communication channel 16 may comprise a wireless channel, a wired channel, or a combination of wireless and wired channels suitable for transmission of encoded video data. Similarly, the file server 19 may be accessed by the destination device 14 through any standard data connection, including an Internet connection. This may include a wireless channel (e.g., a Wi-Fi connection), a wired connection (e.g., DSL, cable modem, etc.), or a combination of both that is suitable for accessing encoded video data stored on a file server.

The techniques of this disclosure, however, may be applied to video coding in support of any of a variety of multimedia applications, such as over-the-air television broadcasts, cable television transmissions, satellite television transmissions, streaming video transmissions, e.g., via the Internet, encoding of digital video for storage on a data storage medium, decoding of digital video stored on a data storage medium, or other applications. In some examples, system 10 may be configured to support one-way or two-way video transmission to support applications such as video streaming, video playback, video broadcasting, and/or video telephony

In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 includes a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (MODEM) 22 and an output interface 24. In source device 12, video source 18 may include a source such as a video capture device, such as a video camera, a video archive containing previously captured video, a video feed interface to receive video from a video content provider, and/or a computer graphics system for generating computer graphics data as the source video, or a combination of such sources. As one example, if video source 18 is a video camera, source device 12 and destination device 14 may form so-called camera phones or video phones. However, the techniques described in this disclosure may be applicable to video coding in general, and may be applied to wireless and/or wired applications.

The captured, pre-captured, or computer-generated video may be encoded by video encoder 20. The encoded video information may be modulated by modem 22 according to a communication standard, such as a wireless communication protocol, and transmitted to destination device 14 via output interface 24. Modem 22 may include various mixers, filters, amplifiers or other components designed for signal modulation. Output interface 24 may include circuits designed for transmitting data, including amplifiers, filters, and one or more antennas.

The captured, pre-captured, or computer-generated video that is encoded by the video encoder 20 may also be stored onto a storage medium 17 or a file server 19 for later consumption. The storage medium 17 may include Blu-ray discs, DVDs, CD-ROMs, flash memory, or any other suitable digital storage media for storing encoded video. The encoded video stored on the storage medium 17 may then be accessed by destination device 14 for decoding and playback.

File server 19 may be any type of server capable of storing encoded video and transmitting that encoded video to the destination device 14. Example file servers include a web server (e.g., for a website), an FTP server, network attached storage (NAS) devices, a local disk drive, or any other type of device capable of storing encoded video data and transmitting it to a destination device. The transmission of encoded video data from the file server 19 may be a streaming transmission, a download transmission, or a combination of both. The file server 19 may be accessed by the destination device 14 through any standard data connection, including an Internet connection. This may include a wireless channel (e.g., a Wi-Fi connection), a wired connection (e.g., DSL, cable modem, Ethernet, USB, etc.), or a combination of both that is suitable for accessing encoded video data stored on a file server.

Destination device 14, in the example of FIG. 1, includes an input interface 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32. Input interface 26 of destination device 14 receives information over channel 16, as one example, or from storage medium 17 or file server 17, as alternate examples, and modem 28 demodulates the information to produce a demodulated bitstream for video decoder 30. The demodulated bitstream may include a variety of syntax information generated by video encoder 20 for use by video decoder 30 in decoding video data. Such syntax may also be included with the encoded video data stored on a storage medium 17 or a file server 19. As one example, the syntax may be embedded with the encoded video data, although aspects of this disclosure should not be considered limited to such a requirement. The syntax information defined by video encoder 20, which is also used by video decoder 30, may include syntax elements that describe characteristics and/or processing of video blocks, such as coding tree units (CTUs), coding tree blocks (CTBs), prediction units (PUs), coding units (CUs) or other units of coded video, e.g., video slices, video pictures, and video sequences or groups of pictures (GOPs). Each of video encoder 20 and video decoder 30 may form part of a respective encoder-decoder (CODEC) that is capable of encoding or decoding video data.

Display device 32 may be integrated with, or external to, destination device 14. In some examples, destination device 14 may include an integrated display device and also be configured to interface with an external display device. In other examples, destination device 14 may be a display device. In general, display device 32 displays the decoded video data to a user, and may comprise any of a variety of display devices such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, or another type of display device.

In the example of FIG. 1, communication channel 16 may comprise any wireless or wired communication medium, such as a radio frequency (RF) spectrum or one or more physical transmission lines, or any combination of wireless and wired media. Communication channel 16 may form part of a packet-based network, such as a local area network, a wide-area network, or a global network such as the Internet. Communication channel 16 generally represents any suitable communication medium, or collection of different communication media, for transmitting video data from source device 12 to destination device 14, including any suitable combination of wired or wireless media. Communication channel 16 may include routers, switches, base stations, or any other equipment that may be useful to facilitate communication from source device 12 to destination device 14.

Video encoder 20 and video decoder 30 may operate according to a video compression standard, such as the ITU-T H.261, ISO/IEC MPEG-1 Visual, ITU-T H.262 or ISO/IEC MPEG-2 Visual, ITU-T H.263, ISO/IEC MPEG-4 Visual and ITU-T H.264 (also known as ISO/IEC MPEG-4 AVC), including its Scalable Video Coding (SVC) and Multiview Video Coding (MVC) extensions. Additionally, as reference above, video encoder 20 and video encoder 30 may operate according to the new video coding standard, namely High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard, presently under development by the Joint Collaboration Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) of ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) and ISO/IEC Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG). The techniques of this disclosure, however, are not limited to any particular coding standard. For purposes of illustration only, the techniques are described in accordance with the HEVC standard.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, in some aspects, video encoder 20 and video decoder 30 may each be integrated with an audio encoder and decoder, and may include appropriate MUX-DEMUX units, or other hardware and software, to handle encoding of both audio and video in a common data stream or separate data streams. If applicable, MUX-DEMUX units may conform to the ITU H.223 multiplexer protocol, or other protocols such as the user datagram protocol (UDP).

Video encoder 20 and video decoder 30 each may be implemented as any of a variety of suitable encoder circuitry, such as one or more processors including microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), discrete logic, software, hardware, firmware or any combinations thereof. When the techniques are implemented partially in software, a device may store instructions for the software in a suitable, non-transitory computer-readable medium and execute the instructions in hardware using one or more processors to perform the techniques of this disclosure.

Each of video encoder 20 and video decoder 30 may be included in one or more encoders or decoders, either of which may be integrated as part of a combined encoder/decoder (CODEC) in a respective device. In some instances, video encoder 20 and video decoder 30 may be commonly referred to as a video coder that codes information (e.g., pictures and syntax elements). The coding of information may refer to encoding when the video coder corresponds to video encoder 20. The coding of information may refer to decoding when the video coder corresponds to video decoder 30.

Furthermore, the techniques described in this disclosure may refer to video encoder 20 signaling information. When video encoder 20 signals information, the techniques of this disclosure generally refer to any manner in which video encoder 20 provides the information. For example, when video encoder 20 signals syntax elements to video decoder 30, it may mean that video encoder 20 transmitted the syntax elements to video decoder 30 via output interface 24 and communication channel 16, or that video encoder 20 stored the syntax elements via output interface 24 on storage medium 17 and/or file server 19 for eventual reception by video decoder 30. In this way, signaling from video encoder 20 to video decoder 30 should not be interpreted as requiring transmission from video encoder 20 that is immediately received by video decoder 30, although this may be possible. Rather, signaling from video encoder 20 to video decoder 30 should be interpreted as any technique with which video encoder 20 provides information for eventual reception by video decoder 30, either directly or via an intermediate storage (e.g., in storage medium 17 and/or file server 19).

Video encoder 20 and video decoder 30 may be configured to implement the example techniques described in this disclosure for deriving a reference picture set. For example, video decoder 30 may invoke the process to derive the reference picture set once per picture. Video decoder 30 may invoke the process to derive the reference picture set after decoding of a slice header, but prior to the decoding of any coding unit and prior to the decoding process for the reference picture list construction of the slice.

As described above, the reference picture set is an absolute description of the reference pictures used in the decoding process of the current picture and future coded pictures in decoding order until the next instantaneous decoding refresh (IDR) picture, or broken link access (BLA) picture. In examples described in this disclosure, video encoder 20 may explicitly signal values from which video decoder 30 may determine identifiers for the reference pictures that belong to the reference picture set. The reference picture set signaling is explicit in the sense that all reference pictures included in the reference picture set are listed explicitly, except for certain pictures such as IDR pictures. When no reference picture set syntax elements are included in the slice header and the reference picture set is interpreted to be empty.

There may be various ways in which video encoder 20 may signal syntax elements in a coded bitstream that video decoder 30 may utilize for deriving the reference picture set. For example, video encoder 20 may signal the syntax elements in the picture parameter set (PPS), sequence parameter set (SPS), the picture header (if any), the slice header, or any combination thereof. For purposes of illustration only, video encoder 20 may signal the syntax elements using the SPS, the PPS, and the slice header, as described in more detail. The techniques of this disclosure are directed to selecting which reference pictures should be signaled in a parameter set such as a picture parameter set and which reference pictures should be signaled in a slice header such that when a video decoder constructs a reference picture set, the video decoder does not need to reorder the reference picture set to construct an initial reference picture list for a slice of video data.

To derive the reference picture set, video decoder 30 may implement a decoding process to determine the identifiers for pictures that belong to the reference picture set. Video decoder 30 may then construct a plurality of reference picture subsets, where each of the subsets identifies zero or more of the reference pictures that belong the reference picture set. Video decoder 30 may derive the reference picture set from the construed reference picture subsets. For example, video decoder 30 may list the plurality reference picture subsets in a particular order to derive the reference picture set.

There may be various ways in which video decoder 30 may determine the identifiers for pictures that belong to the reference picture set. In general, video encoder 20 may signal values from which video decoder 30 may determine the identifiers for pictures, including the pictures that belong to the reference picture set. The identifiers of the pictures may be the PicOrderCnt (i.e., picture order count (POC) values). As described above, the POC value may indicate the display or output order of a picture, where pictures with smaller POC values are displayed earlier than pictures with larger POC values. The POC value of a given picture may be relative to the previous instantaneous decoding refresh (IDR) picture. For example, the PicOrderCnt (i.e., POC value) for an IDR picture may be 0, the POC value for the picture after the IDR picture in display or output order may be 1, the POC value for the after the picture with POC value 1 in display or output order may be 2, and so forth.

In accordance with the techniques described in this disclosure, when the current picture is not an IDR picture, the following may apply to derive the POC value of the current picture. The following is meant to assist with understanding, and should not be considered as limiting.

For example, consider the list variable listD which includes as elements the PicOrderCnt values (POC values) associated with the list of pictures including all of the following: (1) the first picture in the list is the previous IDR picture in decoding order, and (2) all other pictures follow in decoding order after the first picture in the list and either precede the current picture in decoding order or are the current picture. In this example, the current picture is included in listD prior to invoking of the derivation process for the reference picture set. Also, consider the list variable listO which includes the elements of listD sorted in ascending order of POC values. In this example, listO may not contain a POC value that has a value equal to the POC value of another picture.

In some examples, the POC values may be restricted to the range of −2^(pocLen−1) to 2^(pocLen−1)−1, inclusive. In this example, pocLen may be equal to long_term_ref_pic_id_len_delta+long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_len_minus4+4. The long_term_ref_pic_id_len_delta, and the long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_len_minus4 may be syntax elements that video decoder 30 receives in the coded bitstream as part of the picture parameter set syntax, as described in more detail below. As another example, the POC values may be restricted to the range of −2³¹ to 2³¹−1, inclusive.

As one example, video decoder 30 may receive in the coded bitstream (i.e., the bitstream signaled by video encoder 20), the pic_order_cnt_lsb syntax element. The pic_order_cnt_lsb syntax element may specify the picture order count modulo MaxPicOrderCntLsb for the coded picture. The length of the pic_order_cnt_lsb syntax element may be log 2_max_pic_order_cnt_lsb_minus4+4 bits. The value of the pic_order_cnt_lsb may be in the range of 0 to MaxPicOrderCntLsb−1, inclusive. Video decoder 30 may receive the pic_order_cnt_lsb syntax element in the slice header syntax for the current picture to be decoded.

Video decoder 30 may also receive the log 2_max_pic_order_cnt_lsb_minus4 syntax element in the coded bitstream signaled by video encoder 20. Video decoder 30 may receive the log 2_max_pic_order_cnt_lsb_minus4 syntax element in the sequence parameter set. The value of log 2_max_pic_order_cnt_lsb_minus4 may be in the range of 0 to 12, inclusive. The log 2_max_pic_order_cnt_lsb_minus4 syntax element may specify the value of the variable MaxPicOrderCntLsb that video decoder 30 uses in the decoding process for determining the POC values. For example: MaxPicOrderCntLsb=2^((log 2) ^(_) ^(max) ^(_) ^(pic) ^(_) ^(order) ^(_) ^(cnt) ^(_) ^(lsb) ^(_) ^(minus4+4)).

From these received syntax elements, video decoder 30 may determine the POC value of the current picture as follows. For example, video decoder 30 may determine the PicOrderCntMsb for the current picture. The POC value for the current picture may be the determined PicOrderCntMsb for the current picture plus the received pic_order_cnt_lsb for the current picture.

In the following, the function PicOrderCnt(picX) is equal to the POC value for picture X. The function DiffPicOrderCnt(picA, picB) equals PicOrderCnt(picA) minus PicOrderCnt(picB). In some examples, the coded bitstream may not include data that results in the values of DiffPicOrderCnt(picA, picB) used in the decoding process that exceed the range of −2¹⁵ to 2¹⁵−1, inclusive. Furthermore, let X be the current picture and Y and Z be two other pictures in the same sequence, where Y and Z are considered to be the same output order direction from X when both DiffPicOrderCnt(X, Y) and DiffPicOrderCnt(X, Z) are positive or both are negative. Also, in some examples, video encoder 20 may assign PicOrderCnt proportional to the sampling time of the corresponding picture relative to the sampling time of the previous IDR picture.

As part of the process of determining the POC value for the current picture, video decoder 30 may determine the variables prevPicOrderCntMsb and prevPicOrderCntLsb. For example, if the current picture is an IDR picture, video decoder 30 may set prevPicOrderCntMsb equal to 0, and set prevPicOrderCntLsb equal to 0. Otherwise (i.e., where the current picture is not an IDR picture), video decoder 30 may set prevPicOrderCntMsb equal to PicOrderCntMsb of the previous reference picture in decoding order with less or equal temporal_id than the current picture, and set prevPicOrderCntLsb equal to the value of pic_order_cnt_lsb of the previous reference picture in decoding order with less or equal temporal_id than the current picture.

With these variable values and the values of the syntax elements (e.g., the values of prevPicOrderCntMsb, prevPicOrderCntLsb, pic_order_cnt_lsb, and MaxPicOrderCntLsb), video decoder 30 may determine the value of PicOrderCntMsb based on the steps set forth in the following pseudo code. It should be understood that video decoder 30 may implement the steps set forth in the following pseudo code to determine the PicOrderCntMsb for each current picture, which is used to derive the POC value of the current picture.

if( ( pic_order_cnt_lsb < prevPicOrderCntLsb ) && ( ( prevPicOrderCntLsb − pic_order_cnt_lsb ) >= ( MaxPicOrderCntLsb / 2 ) ) ) PicOrderCntMsb = prevPicOrderCntMsb + MaxPicOrderCntLsb else if( ( pic_order_cnt_lsb > prevPicOrderCntLsb ) && ( ( pic_order_cnt_lsb − prevPicOrderCntLsb ) > ( MaxPicOrderCntLsb / 2 ) ) ) PicOrderCntMsb = prevPicOrderCntMsb − MaxPicOrderCntLsb else PicOrderCntMsb = prevPicOrderCntMsb

After determining the PicOrderCntMsb for the current picture, video decoder 30 may determine the POC value for the current picture based on the PicOrderCntMsb for the current picture and the pic_order_cnt_lsb for the current picture. Video decoder 30 may determine the POC value for the current picture as follows: PicOrderCnt=PicOrderCntMsb+pic_order_cnt_lsb.

After decoding of a picture, video decoder 30 may store the PicOrderCntMsb value, the pic_order_cnt_lsb value, and the POC value for that picture, including each of the reference pictures that belong to the reference picture set, in a decoded picture buffer (DPB) of video decoder 30. In this way, each picture in the DPB is associated with a POC value, a PicOrderCntMsb value, and a pic_order_cnt_lsb value.

Methods for determining the POC values of the reference pictures included in the reference picture set of a current picture are described in more detail below. From the determined POC values, video decoder 30 may implement the derivation process for the reference picture set. However, prior to describing the manner in which video decoder 30 implements the derivation process for the reference picture set, the following provides tables of syntax elements that video decoder 30 may receive in the coded bitstream signaled by video encoder 20. For example, video encoder 20 may signal the syntax elements in the following tables in the coded bitstream that video decoder 30 receives. Some of these syntax elements have been described above. From the syntax elements, video decoder 30 may determine the POC values of the reference pictures included in the reference picture set and further derive the reference picture set.

For example, in the techniques described in this disclosure, the following syntax structures are modified relative to previous video coding standards: sequence parameter set (SPS) raw byte sequence payload (RBSP) syntax, seq_paramater_set_rbsq( ), picture parameter set (PPS) RBSP syntax, pic_parameter_set_rbsp( ), slice header syntax, slice_header( ), and reference picture list modification syntax, ref_pic_list_modification( ). Reference picture list modification is described in more detail following the description of deriving the reference picture set, and initializing one or more reference picture lists.

Also, in accordance with the techniques described in this disclosure, the following syntax structures are added to the coded bitstream: short-term reference picture set syntax, short_term_ref_pic_set( ), and long-term reference picture set syntax, long_term_ref_pic_set( ). Video decoder 30 may utilize the short-term reference picture set syntax and the long-term reference picture set syntax for purposes of constructing reference picture subsets, from which video decoder 30 derives the reference picture set.

For instance, for video decoder 30 to determine the POC values for the reference pictures that belong to the reference picture set, video encoder 20 may signal reference picture identification information, which video decoder 30 uses to determine the POC values, in the picture parameter set and the index to the list can be referenced in the slice header. However, this is one example manner in which video encoder 20 may signal such reference picture identification information.

In one alternate example, video encoder 20 may signal reference picture information in the sequence parameter set and the index to the list may be referenced in the slice header, which may reduce signaling overhead. In another alternate example, the video coder may signal the reference picture information in a new type of parameter set (e.g., reference picture set parameter set (RPSPS)), and the RPSPS id as well as the index to the list of reference picture identification information may be both referenced in the slice header. This may reduce the signaling overhead as well as not increase the need of the number of picture parameter sets or sequence parameter sets. In other examples, video encoder 20 may utilize any combination of these example techniques to signal the reference picture identification information.

Table 1 below shows an example of SPS RBSP syntax.

TABLE 1 Sequence Parameter Set RBSP syntax seq_parameter_set_rbsp( ) { Descriptor  profile_idc u(8)  reserved_zero_8bits /* equal to 0 */ u(8)  level_idc u(8)  seq_parameter_set_id ue(v)  max_temporal_layers_minus1 u(3)  pic_width_in_luma_samples u(16)  pic_height_in_luma_samples u(16)  bit_depth_luma_minus8 ue(v)  bit_depth_chroma_minus8 ue(v)  pcm_bit_depth_luma_minus1 u(4)  pcm_bit_depth_chroma_minus1 u(4)  log2_max_pic_order_cnt_lsb_minus4 ue(v)  max_num_ref_frames ue(v)  log2_min_coding_block_size_minus3 ue(v)  log2_diff_max_min_coding_block_size ue(v)  log2_min_transform_block_size_minus2 ue(v)  log2_diff_max_min_transform_block_size ue(v)  log2_min_pcm_coding_block_size_minus3 ue(v)  max_transform_hierarchy_depth_inter ue(v)  max_transform_hierarchy_depth_intra ue(v)  chroma_pred_from_luma_enabled_flag u(1)  loop_filter_across_slice_flag u(1)  sample_adaptive_offset_enabled_flag u(1)  adaptive_loop_filter_enabled_flag u(1)  pcm_loop_filter_disable_flag u(1)  cu_qp_delta_enabled_flag u(1)  temporal_id_nesting_flag u(1)  inter_4x4_enabled_flag u(1)  rbsp_trailing_bits( ) }

pic_width_in_luma_samples may specify the width of each decoded picture in luma samples. The value of pic_width_in_luma_samples may be in the range of 0 to 2¹⁶−1, inclusive.

pic_height_in_luma_samples may specify the height of each decoded picture in luma samples. The value of pic_height_in_luma_samples may be in the range of 0 to 2¹⁶−1, inclusive.

As indicated in Table 1, video decoder 30 may receive in the sequence parameter set (SPS), the log 2_max_pic_order_cnt_lsb_minus4 syntax element. As described above, the value of log 2_max_pic_order_cnt_lsb_minus4 may specify the value of the variable MaxPicOrderCntLsb that video decoder 30 uses in the decoding process for determining the POC values, where MaxPicOrderCntLsb=2^((log 2) ^(_) ^(max) ^(_) ^(pic) ^(_) ^(order) ^(_) ^(cnt) ^(_) ^(lsb) ^(_) ^(minus4+4)).

Table 2 below shows an example of PPS RBSP syntax.

TABLE 2 Picture Parameter Set RBSP syntax Descrip- pic_parameter_set_rbsp( ) { tor  pic_paramete_set_id ue(v)  seq_parameter_set_id ue(v)  entropy_coding_mode_flag u(1)  num_short_term_ref_pic_sets_pps ue(v)  for( i = 0; i < num_short_term_ref_pic_sets_pps; i++ )   short_term_ref_pic_set( )  long_term_ref_pics_present_flag u(1)  if( long_term_ref_pics_present_flag ) {   long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_len_minus4 ue(v)   long_term_ref_pic_id_len_delta ue(v)   num_long_term_ref_pics_pps ue(v)   for( i = 0; i < num_long_term_ref_pics_pps; i++ )    long_term_ref_pic_id_pps[ i ] i(v)  }  num_temporal_layer_switching_point_flags ue(v)  for( i = 0; i < num_temporal_layer_switching_point_flags; i++ )   temporal_layer_switching_point_flag[ i ] u(1)  num_ref_idx_10_default_active_minus1 ue(v)  num_ref_idx_11_default_active_minus1 ue(v)  pic_init_qp_minus26 /* relative to 26 */ se(v)  constrained_intra_pred_flag u(1)  slice_granularity u(2)  shared_pps_info_enabled_flag u(1)  if( shared_pps_info_enabled_flag )   if( adaptive_loop_filter_enabled_flag )    alf_param( )  if( cu_qp_delta_enabled_flag )   max_cu_qp_delta_depth u(4)  rbsp_trailing_bits( ) }

The syntax element “num_short_term_ref_pic_sets_pps” specifies the number of short_term_ref_pic_set( ) syntax structures included in the picture parameter set. The value of the syntax element “num_short_term_ref_pic_sets_pps” can be in the range of 0 to 32, inclusive.

long_term_ref_pics_present_flag equal to 0 specifies that no long-term reference picture is used for inter prediction of any coded picture referring to the picture parameter set and the syntax elements long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_len_minus4, long_term_ref_pic_id_len_delta and num_long_term_ref_pics_pps are not present. long_term_ref_pics_present_flag equal to 1 specifies that long-term reference pictures may be used for inter prediction of one or more coded picture referring to the picture parameter set and the syntax elements long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_len_minus4, long_term_ref_pic_id_len_delta and num_long_term_ref_pics_pps are present.

long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_len_minus4 plus 4 specifies the length in bits of the long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_add_foll[i] syntax elements. The value of long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_len_minus4 can be in the range of 0 to 12, inclusive.

long_term_ref_pic_id_len_delta plus long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_len_minus4 plus 4 specifies the length in bits of the long_term_ref_pic_id_pps[i] syntax element. The value of long_term_ref_pic_id_len_delta may be in the range of 0 to 28-long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_len_minus4, inclusive. The value of long_term_ref_pic_id_len_delta+long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_len_minus4+4 in all picture parameter sets referring to one particular sequence parameter set may be identical.

num_long_term_ref_pics_pps specifies the number of identifications of long-term reference pictures included in the picture parameter set. The value of num_long_term_ref_pics_pps may be in the range of 0 to 32, inclusive.

long_term_ref_picid_pps[i] specifies i-th long-term reference picture identification information included in the picture parameter set. The number of bits used to represent long_term_ref_pic_id_pps[i] may be equal to long_term_ref_pic_id_len_delta+long_term_pic_id_len_minus4+4.

Table 3 below shows short-term reference picture set syntax.

TABLE 3 Short-term reference picture set syntax short_term_ref_pic_set( ) { Descriptor  num_short_term_curr0 ue(v)  num_short_term_curr1 ue(v)  num_short_term_foll0 ue(v)  num_short_term_foll1 ue(v)  NumShortTerm = num_short_term_curr0 + num_short_term_curr1 + num_short_term_foll0 + num_short_term_foll1  for( i = 0; i < NumShortTerm; i++ )   short_term_ref_pic_id_delta_minus1[ i ] ue(v) }

The short-term reference picture set syntax may be for short-term pictures. A short-term picture may be defined as a reference picture for which the identification information is included in the short_term_ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure for a coded picture, either included in the slice header(s) or included in the referred picture parameter set and reference by the short_term_ref_pic_set_idx syntax element in the slice header(s). The slice header syntax elements are provided in Table 4 below.

num_short_term_curr0 specifies the number of short-term reference pictures in RefPicSetStCurr0 when the short_term_ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure is used for derivation of the reference picture set of a coded picture, as describe below. The value of num_short_term_curr0 may be in the range of 0 to max_num_ref_frames, inclusive.

num_short_term_curr1 specifies the number of short-term reference pictures in RefPicSetStCurr1 when the short_term_ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure is used for derivation of the reference picture set of a coded picture, as describe below. The value of num_short_term_curr1 may be in the range of 0 to max_num_ref_frames-num_short_term_curr0, inclusive.

num_short_term_foll0 specifies the number of short-term reference pictures in RefPicSetStFoll0 when the short_term_ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure is used for derivation of the reference picture set of a coded picture, as describe below. The value of num_short_term_foll0 may be in the range of 0 to max_num_ref_frames-num_short_term_curr0-num_short_term_curr1, inclusive.

num_short_term_foll1 specifies the number of short-term reference pictures in RefPicSetStFoll1 when the short_term_ref_pic_set ( ) syntax structure is used for derivation of the reference picture set of a coded picture, as describe below. The value of num_short_term_foll1 can be in the range of 0 to max_num_ref_frames-num_short_term_curr0-num_short_term_curr1-num_short_term_foll0, inclusive.

short_term_ref_pic_id_delta_minus1[i] specifies the identification information of the i-th short-term reference picture included in the short_term_ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure.

Table 4 below shows an example of slice header syntax.

TABLE 4 Slice header syntax slice_header( ) { Descriptor  lightweight_slice_flag u(1)  if( !lightweight_slice_flag ) {   slice_type ue(v)   pic_parameter_set_id ue(v)   if( IdrPicFlag ) {    idr_pic_id ue(v)    no_output_of_prior_pics_flag u(1)   }   pic_order_cnt_lsb u(v)   if( !IdrPicFlag ) {    short_term_ref_pic_set_pps_flag u(1)    if( short_term_ref_pic_set_pps_flag )     short_term_ref_pic_set_idx ue(v)    Else     short_term_ref_pic_set( )    if( long_term_ref_pics_present_flag )     long_term_ref_pic_set( )   }   if( slice_type == P ∥ slice_type == B ) {    num_ref_idx_active_override_flag u(1)    if( num_ref_idx_active_override_flag ) {     num_ref_idx_10_active_minus1 ue(v)     if( slice_type == B )      num_ref_idx_11_active_minus1 ue(v)    }   }   ref_pic_list_modification( )   ref_pic_list_combination( )  }  if( entropy_coding_mode_flag && slice_type != I)   cabac_init_idc ue(v)  first_slice_in_pic_flag u(1)  if( first_slice_in_pic_flag == 0 )   slice_address u(v)  if( !lightweight_slice_flag ) {   slice_qp_delta se(v)   if( sample_adaptive_offset_enabled_flag )    sao_param( )   if( deblocking_filter_control_presentflag ) {    disable_deblocking_fllter_idc    if( disable_deblocking_filter_idc != 1 ) {     slice_alpha_c0_offset_div2     slice_beta_offset_div2    }   }   if( slice_type == B )    collocated_from_10_flag u(1)   if( adaptive_loop_filter_enabled_flag ) {    if( !shared_pps_info_enabled_flag )     alf_param( )    alf_cu_control_param( )   }  } }

no_output_of_prior_pics_flag specifies how the previously-decoded pictures in the decoded picture buffer are treated after decoding of an IDR picture. When the IDR picture is the first IDR picture in the bitstream, the value of no_output_of_prior_pics_flag may have no effect on the decoding process. When the IDR picture is not the first IDR picture in the bitstream and the value of pic_width_in_luma_samples or pic_height_in_luma_samples or max_dec_frame_buffering derived from the active sequence parameter set may be different from the value of pic_width_in_luma_samples or pic_height_in_luma_samples or max_dec_frame_buffering derived from the sequence parameter set active for the preceding picture, no_output_of_prior_pics_flag equal to 1 may, but not necessarily, be inferred by the decoder, regardless of the actual value of no_output_of_prior_pics_flag.

short_term_ref_pic_set_pps_flag equal to 1 specifies that the identification information of the set of short-term reference pictures included in the reference picture set for the current picture is present in the referred picture parameter set. short_term_ref_pic_set_pps_flag equal to 0 specifies that the identification information of the set of short-term reference pictures included in the reference picture set for the current picture is not present in the referred picture parameter set.

short_term_ref_pic_set_idx specifies the index of the short_term_ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure, included in the referred picture parameter set, that includes the identification information of the set of short-term reference pictures in the reference picture set for the current picture.

The variable NumShortTermCurr0 and NumShortTermCurr1 are specified as:

NumShortTermCurr0 = num_short_term_curr0 NumShortTermCurr1 = num_short_term_curr1

Where num_short_term_curr0 and num_short_term_curr0 are the syntax elements of the same names, respectively, in the short_term_ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure, either present in the referred picture parameter set and referenced by short_term_ref_pic_set_idx, or directly present in the slice header.

num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1 specifies the maximum reference index for reference picture list 0 that can be used to decode the slice.

When the current slice is a P or B slice and num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1 is not present, num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1 may be inferred to be equal to num_ref_idx_l0_default_active_minus1.

The value of num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1 may be in the range of 0 to 15, inclusive.

num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1 specifies the maximum reference index for reference picture list 1 that can be used to decode the slice.

When the current slice is a P or B slice and num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1 is not present, num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1 may be inferred to be equal to num_ref_idx_l1_default_active_minus1.

The value of num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1 may be in the range of 0 to 15, inclusive. Table 5 below shows an example of long-term reference picture syntax.

TABLE 5 Long-term reference picture set syntax long_term_ref_pic_set( ) { Descriptor  num_long_term_pps_curr ue(v)  num_long_term_add_curr ue(v)  num_long_term_pps_foll ue(v)  num_long_term_add_foll ue(v)  for( i = 0; i < num_long_term_pps_curr + num_long_term_pps_foll; i++ )   long_term_ref_pic_set_idx_pps[ i ] ue(v)  for( i = 0; i < num_long_term_add_curr + num_long_term_add_foll; i++ )   long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_add[ i ] i(v) }

The long-term reference picture set syntax may be for long-term pictures. A long-term picture may be defined as a reference picture for which the identification information is included in the long_term_ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure for a coded picture.

num_long_term_pps_curr specifies the number of all long-term reference pictures for which the identification information is included in the referred picture parameter set and that may be used for inter prediction of the current picture. If num_long_term_pps_curr is not present, the value may be derived as equal to 0. The value of num_long_term_pps_curr may be in the range of 0 to max_num_ref_frames, inclusive.

num_long_term_add_curr specifies the number of all long-term reference pictures for which the identification information is not included in the referred picture parameter set and that may be used for inter prediction of the current picture. If num_long_term_add_curr is not present, the value may be derived as equal to 0. The value of num_long_term_add_curr may be in the range of 0 to max_num_ref_frames-num_long_term_pps_curr, inclusive.

The variable NumLongTermCurr is specified as: NumLongTermCurr=num_long_term_pps_curr+num_long_term_add_curr

num_long_term_pps_foll specifies the number of all long-term reference pictures that the identification information is included in the referred picture parameter set, that are not used for inter prediction of the current picture, and that may be used for inter prediction of any of the pictures following the current picture in decoding order. If num_long_term_pps_foll is not present, the value may be derived as equal to 0. The value of num_long_term_pps_foll may be in the range of 0 to max_num_ref_frames, inclusive.

num_long_term_add_foll specifies the number of all long-term reference pictures that the identification information is not included in the referred picture parameter set, that are not used for inter prediction of the current picture, and that may be used for inter prediction of any of the following pictures in decoding order. If num_long_term_add_foll is not present, the value may be derived as equal to 0. The value of num_long_term_add_foll may be in the range of 0 to max_num_ref_frames-num_long_term_pps_foll, inclusive.

long_term_ref_pic_set_idx_pps[i] specifies the index, to the list of long-term reference picture identification information included in the referred picture parameter set, of the i-th long-term reference picture inherited from the referred picture parameter set to the reference picture set of the current picture. The value of long_term_ref_pic_set_idx_pps[i] may be in the range of 0 to 31, inclusive.

long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_add[i] specifies the long-term reference picture identification information of the i-th long-term reference picture that is not inherited from the referred picture parameter set but included in the reference picture set of the current picture. The number of bits used to represent long_term_ref_pic_id_add_curr[i] may be equal to long_term_pic_id_len_minus4+4.

With the above signaled or derived values (i.e., the values in Tables 1-5), video decoder 30 may derive the reference picture set. As described above, the derived reference picture set may identify reference pictures that can potentially be used to code/predict the current picture (i.e., the picture that is currently being decoded), and pictures that follow the current picture in decoding order. In accordance with the techniques described in this disclosure, the decoding order of all of the reference pictures in the derived reference picture set is earlier than the decoding order of the current picture.

The derivation process may include constructing the reference picture set from a plurality of reference picture subsets. This process may be invoked once per picture, after decoding of a slice header but prior to the decoding of any coding unit and prior to the decoding process for reference picture list construction of the slice. For example, from the derived values and the signaled syntax elements, video decoder 30 may determine the POC values for the reference pictures that belong to the reference picture set. From the determined POC values, video decoder 30 may construct reference picture subsets that together form the reference picture set. In this way, by constructing the reference picture subsets, video decoder 30 may construct the reference picture set. For example, video decoder 30 may order the reference picture subsets in a particular manner to derive the reference picture set. Ordering may refer to the manner in which video decoder 30 lists the reference picture subsets to derive the reference picture set.

As described above, to derive the reference picture set, video decoder 30 may construct a plurality of reference picture subsets. In some examples, video decoder 30 may construct six reference picture subsets. The six reference picture subsets may be named: RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, RefPicSetStFoll1, RefPicSetLtCurr, and RefPicSetLtFoll. RefPicSetStCurr0 may be referred to as RefPicSetStCurrBefore, and RefPicSetStCurr1 may be referred to as RefPicSetStCurrAfter.

It should be understood that the six reference picture subsets are described for purposes of illustration, and should not be construed limiting. As one example, video decoder 30 may construct fewer reference picture subsets than six reference picture subsets, e.g., by combining some of the subsets. Some of these examples where video decoder 30 constructs less than six reference picture subsets are described below. However, for purposes of illustration, the techniques are described with examples where video decoder 30 constructs six reference picture subsets.

The RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, and RefPicSetStFoll1 reference picture subsets may identify short-term reference pictures. In some examples, these reference picture subsets may identify short-term reference pictures based on whether the short-term reference pictures are earlier in display order or later in display order than the current picture being coded, as well as whether the short-term reference pictures can potentially be used for inter-predicting the current picture and pictures following the current picture in decoding order, or can potentially be used for inter-predicting only the pictures following the current picture in decoding order.

For example, the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset may include, and may only include, identification information, such as POC values, of all short-term reference pictures that have an earlier output or display order than the current picture, and that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of the current picture, and can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order. The RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset may include, and may only include, identification information of all short-term reference pictures that have a later output or display order than the current picture and that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of the current picture, and can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order.

The RefPicSetStFoll0 reference picture subset may include, and may only include, identification information of all short-term reference pictures that have an earlier output or display order than the current picture, that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order, and that cannot be used for reference in inter-prediction of the current picture. The RefPicSetStFoll1 reference picture subset may include, and may only include, identification information of all short-term reference pictures that have a later output or display order than the current picture, that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order, and that cannot be used for reference in inter-prediction of the current picture.

The RefPicSetLtCurr and the RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subsets may identify long-term reference pictures. In some examples, these reference picture subsets may identify long-term reference pictures based on whether the long-term reference pictures are earlier in display order or later in display order than the current picture being coded.

For example, the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset may include, and may only include, the identification information of all long-term reference pictures that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of the current picture, and that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order. The RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subset may include, and may only include, the identification information of all long-term reference pictures that can potentially be used for reference in inter-prediction of one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order, and that cannot be used for reference in inter-prediction of the current picture.

If the current picture to be decoded is an IDR picture, video decoder 30 may set the RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, RefPicSetStFoll1, RefPicSetLtCurr, and RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subsets to empty. This may be because the IDR picture may not be inter-predicted and no picture after the IDR picture in decoding order can use any picture prior to the IDR picture in decoding for reference. Otherwise (e.g., when the current picture is non-IDR picture), video decoder 30 may construct the short-term reference picture subsets and the long-term reference picture subsets by implementing the following pseudo code.

For example, when video decoder 30 decodes an instance of the short_term_ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure, either in the slice header or by reference to the referred picture parameter set, video decoder 30 may implement the following pseudo code to construct the RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, and RefPicSetStFoll1 reference picture subsets.

cIdx = 0 for( i = 0, pocPred = PicOrderCnt( CurrPic ); i < num_short_term_curr0; pocPred = RefPicSetStCurr0[ i ], i++, cIdx++ ) RefPicSetStCurr0[ i ] = pocPred − short_term_ref_pic_id_delta_minus1[ cIdx ] − 1 for( i = 0, pocPred= PicOrderCnt( CurrPic ); i < num_short_term_curr1; pocPred = RefPicSetStCurr1[ i ], i++, cIdx++ ) RefPicSetStCurr1[ i ] = short_term_ref_pic_id_delta_minus1[ cIdx ] + 1 − pocPred for( i = 0, pocPred= PicOrderCnt( CurrPic ); i < num_short_term_foll0; pocPred = RefPicSetStFoll[ i ], i++, cIdx++ ) RefPicSetStFoll0[ i ] = pocPred − short_term_ref_pic_id_delta_minus1[ cIdx ] − 1 for( i = 0, pocPred= PicOrderCnt( CurrPic ); i < num_short_term_foll1; pocPred = RefPicSetStFoll[ i ], i++, cIdx++ ) RefPicSetStFoll1[ i ] = short_term_ref_pic_id_delta_minus1[ cIdx ] + 1 − pocPred

If video decoder 30 determines that the long_term_ref_pics_present_flag is equal to 0, video decoder 30 may set the RefPicSetLtCurr and the RefPicSetLtFoll to empty because, for this case, there are no long-term reference pictures. Otherwise, if video decoder 30 decodes an instance of the long_term_ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure in the slice header, video decoder 30 may implement the following pseudo code to construct the RefPicSetLtCurr and RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subsets.

cIdx = 0 for( i = 0; i < num_long_term_pps_curr; i++, cIdx++ ) { pIdx = long_term_ref_pic_idx_pps[ i ] RefPicSetLtCurr[ cIdx ] = long_term_ref_pic_id_ pps[ pIdx ] } for( i = 0; i < num_long_term_add_curr; i++, cIdx++ ) { picIdDelta = long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_add[ i ] RefPicSetLtCurr[ cIdx ] = PicOrderCnt( CurrPic ) − picIdDelta } cIdx = 0 for( i = 0; i < num_long_term_pps_foll; i++, cIdx++ ) { pIdx = long_term_ref_pic_idx_pps[ i + num_long_term_pps_curr ] RefPicSetLtFoll[ cIdx ] = long_term_ref_pic_id_ pps[ pIdx ] } for( i = 0;i < num_long_term_add_foll; i++, cIdx++ ) { picIdDelta = long_term_ref_pic_id_delta_add[ i + num_long_term_add_curr] RefPicSetLtFoll[ cIdx] = PicOrderCnt( CurrPic ) − picIdDelta }

In accordance with the techniques described in this disclosure, a reference picture with a particular value of PicOrderCnt (POC value) may be referred to as included in the reference picture set of a coded picture if the reference picture is included in any of the six subsets of the reference picture set of that coded picture. A reference picture with a particular value of PicOrderCnt is referred to as included in a particular subset of the reference picture set if the particular value of PicOrderCnt (POC value) is equal to one of the PicOrderCnt values included in the that subset.

After constructing the reference picture subsets, video decoder 30 may derive the reference picture set. For example, video decoder 30 may order the reference picture subsets to derive the reference picture set. As one example, video decoder 30 may list the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset, followed by the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset, followed by the RefPicSetStFoll0 reference picture subset, followed by the RefPicSetStFoll1 reference picture subset, followed by the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset, and then the RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subset. As another example, video decoder 30 may list the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset, followed by the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset, followed by the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset, followed by the RefPicSetStFoll0 reference picture subset, followed by the RefPicSetStFoll1, and then the RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subset.

Other permutations of the manner in which video decoder 30 orders the reference picture subsets may be possible for deriving the reference picture set. In some examples, the constructing of the reference picture subsets and the deriving of the reference picture set may be combined together. For example, the constructing of the reference picture subsets may automatically result in video decoder 30 deriving the reference picture set. In other words, video decoder 30 may not need to perform different steps for constructing the reference picture subsets and deriving the reference picture set, although it may be possible for video decoder 30 to first construct the reference picture subsets and then derive the reference picture set.

Also, in accordance with the techniques described in this disclosure, constructing the reference picture set in the manner described above may result in video decoder 30 satisfying the following restrictions. For example, a particular reference picture with a particular value of PicOrderCnt may not be included in more than one of the reference picture subsets of the reference picture set of the current picture. In other words, a reference picture identified in one of the reference picture subsets may not be identified in any of the other reference picture subsets. As another example, in the derived reference picture set, there may be no reference picture with temporal_id greater than the current picture that is included in any of the reference picture subsets that form the reference picture set.

As described above, the temporal identification value (temporal_id) may be a hierarchical value that indicates which pictures can be used for coding/predicting the current picture. In general, a picture with a particular temporal_id value can possibly be a reference picture for pictures with equal or greater temporal_id values, but not vice-versa. For example, a picture with a temporal_id value of 1 can possibly be a reference picture for pictures with temporal_id values of 1, 2, 3, . . . , but not for a picture with a temporal_ID value of 0.

The lowest temporal_id value may also indicate the lowest display rate. For example, if video decoder 30 only decoded pictures with temporal_id values of 0, the display rate may be 7.5 pictures per second. If video decoder 30 only decoded pictures with temporal_id values of 0 and 1, the display rate may be 15 pictures per second, and so forth.

In some examples, only pictures with temporal_id values less than or equal to the temporal_id of the current picture may be included in the reference picture set of the current picture. As described above, only pictures with temporal_id values less than or equal to the temporal_id of the current picture can be used as reference pictures. Thus, all reference pictures with lower or equal temporal_id values may be used by the current picture for inter-prediction and may be included in the reference picture set. Also, some reference pictures that have greater temporal_id values than the current picture and that are to be used by pictures following the current picture in decoding order and having greater temporal_id values than the current picture are excluded from the reference picture set.

With these techniques, signaling of temporal_id in addition to the picture identification for derivation of the reference picture set is not needed; hence, the reference picture set signaling becomes more efficient. For example, video encoder 20 may not signal temporal_id values of the reference pictures that belong to the reference picture set, and video decoder 30 may not need to receive temporal_id values of the reference pictures that belong to the reference picture set for purposes of deriving the reference picture set.

Furthermore, in this manner, the constructed reference picture subsets may not identify reference pictures with temporal_id values greater than that of the current picture. For example, video decoder 30 may be able to construct the reference picture subsets, and ensure that no reference picture identified in any of the reference picture subsets has a temporal_id value greater than that of the current picture because the bitstream conformance may require that the temporal_id values are not included in bitstream signaled by video encoder 20 and received by video decoder 30. In this manner, video decoder 30 may derive the reference picture set without receiving temporal identification values for the reference pictures that belong to the reference picture set.

In the above examples, video decoder 30 may construct six reference picture subsets, four for short-term reference pictures (i.e., RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, and RefPicSetStFoll1), and two for long-term reference pictures (i.e., RefPicSetLtCurr and RefPicSetLtFoll). However, aspects of this disclosure are not so limited. In other examples, two or more of these reference picture subsets may be combined into one reference picture subset, resulting in fewer reference picture subsets that video decoder 30 constructs. The following describe some non-limiting examples in which video decoder 30 may construct fewer reference picture subsets. There may be other ways in which video decoder 30 may construct fewer reference picture subsets.

For instance, in some examples, there may be no separation of the subset for the current picture and the subset for the following pictures in decoding order. Thus, there may be two subsets for short-term reference pictures, referred to as RefPicSetSt0 and RefPicSetSt1, and there may be only one subset for long-term reference pictures, referred to as RefPicSetLt. In this example, the RefPicSetSt0 reference picture subset may be the concatenation of RefPicSetStCurr0 and RefPicSetStFoll0, with RefPicSetStCurr0 at the beginning of the concatenation result. In this example, the RefPicSetSt1 reference picture subset may be the concatenation of RefPicSetStCurr1 and RefPicSetStFoll1, with RefPicSetStCurr1 at the beginning of the concatenation result. The RefPicSetLt reference picture subset may be the concatenation of RefPicSetLtCurr and RefPicSetLtFoll, with RefPicSetLtCurr at the beginning of the concatenation result.

As another example, there may be no separation of the subset with earlier or later output order than the current picture. This may apply only to short-term reference pictures. Thus, there may be two subsets for short-term reference pictures, referred to as RefPicSetStCurr and RefPicSetStFoll. The RefPicSetStCurr reference picture subset may be the concatenation of RefPicSetStCurr0 and RefPicSetStCurr1, with RefPicSetStCurr0 at the beginning of the concatenation result. The RefPicSetStFoll reference picture subset may be the concatenation of RefPicSetStFoll0 and RefPicSetStFoll1, with RefPicSetStFoll0 at the beginning of the concatenation result.

As another example, both types of separations mentioned above may not be applied. Thus, there may be only one subset for short-term reference pictures, referred to as RefPicSetSt, and only one subset for long-term reference pictures, referred to as RefPicSetLt. The RefPicSetSt reference picture subset may be a concatenation of RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, and RefPicSetStFoll1, in the order listed (or any other order), and RefPicSetLt may be the same as above.

The above techniques describe an example manner in which video decoder 30 may derive the reference picture set. During the encoding process, video encoder 20 may also need to decode encoded pictures for purposes of encoding subsequent pictures, in what is referred to as the reconstruction process. Accordingly, in some examples, video encoder 20 may also be configured to derive the reference picture set. In some examples, video encoder 20 may implement the same techniques that video decoder 30 implemented to derive the reference picture set. However, derivation of the reference picture set by video encoder 20 may not be required in every example, and video decoder 30 may be the only coder that derives the reference picture set.

Accordingly, in some examples, a video coder (e.g., video encoder 20 or video decoder 30) may code (e.g., encode or decode, respectively) information indicative of reference pictures that belong to a reference picture set. For example, video encoder 20 may signal an encoded bitstream that includes values to determine which reference pictures belong to the reference picture set. Similarly, video decoder 30 may decode the bitstream to determine which reference pictures belong to the reference picture set.

The video coder may construct a plurality of reference picture subsets that each identifies zero or more of the reference pictures. For example, the video coder may construct six reference picture subsets (i.e., the RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, RefPicSetStFoll1, RefPicSetLtCurr, and RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subsets), where each of the subsets identifies zero or more reference pictures. In some examples, the video coder may code the current picture based on the plurality of reference picture subsets.

For instance, the video coder may derive the reference picture set from the constructed plurality of reference picture subsets. For example, the video coder may order the reference picture subsets in any order to derive the reference picture set, or may derive the reference picture set as part of the construction of the reference picture subsets. In some examples, from the derived reference picture set, the video coder may code the current picture. Because the reference picture set is derived from the plurality of reference picture subsets, the video coder may be considered as coding the current picture based on the plurality of reference picture subsets.

In some examples, to order the reference picture subsets, the video coder may construct the reference picture subsets in the order in which the reference picture subset are to be listed in the reference picture set. For example, the video coder may first construct the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset, then construct the RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subset, then construct the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset, then construct the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset, then construct the RefPicSetStFoll0 reference picture subset, and then construct the RefPicSetStFoll1 reference picture subset. In this illustrative example, the order of the reference picture subsets in the reference picture set may be RefPicSetLtCurr, RefPicSetLtFoll, RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, and RefPicSetStFoll1, in that order, although other orders are possible.

In accordance with the example techniques described in this disclosure, after deriving the reference picture set, video decoder 30 may begin decoding of slices within the current picture. Part of the decoding process involves construction of one or two reference picture lists. A reference picture list is a list of reference pictures that is used for prediction of a P or B slice. For the decoding process of a P slice, there is one reference picture list (List 0). For the decoding process of a B slice, there are two reference picture lists (List 0 and List 1). List 0, sometimes referred to as reference picture list 0 or RefPicList0, is a reference picture list used for inter-prediction of a P or B slice. All inter-prediction used for P slices uses List 0. Reference picture list 0 is one of the two reference picture lists used for bi-prediction for a B slice, with the other being reference picture list 1. List 1, sometimes referred to as reference picture list 1 or RefPicList1, is a reference picture list used for prediction of a B slice. Reference picture list 1 is one of two reference picture lists used for prediction for a B slice, with the other being reference picture list 0. Some blocks in a B slice may be bi-predicted, using both List 0 and List1, and some blocks in a B slice may be uni-predicted, using either List 0 or List 1.

To construct the reference picture lists, video decoder 30 may implement a default construction technique to construct initial List 0 and, for B slices, initial List 1. The construction of the initial List 0 and initial List 1 may be referred to as the initialization process. In some examples, the coded bitstream may indicate that video decoder 30 should modify the initial List 0 and/or initial List 1 to generate the final List 0 and the final List 1. The modification of the initial List 0 and/or initial List 1 may be referred to as the modification process. The modification process may not be required in every example, and the manner in which video decoder 30 may implement the modification process is described in more detail below. In accordance with the techniques described in this disclosure, when the modification of the initial List 0 or the initial List 1 is not needed, the final List 0 or the final List 1 (i.e., the reference picture list 0 or 1 that is used to decode the slice of the current picture) may be equal to the initial List 0 or the initial List 1. In this way, reference picture list reordering may not be needed.

In the techniques described in this disclosure, video decoder 30 may construct the initial List 0 or the initial List 1 in such a manner that video decoder 30 may not need to perform reordering of the reference pictures to be included in the initial List 0 or the initial List 1, regardless of whether the modification process is needed, because the reference pictures in each of the reference picture subsets are already in a proper order. For example, in some other techniques, regardless of whether the modification process is needed, reordering of the reference pictures to be included in the initial List 0 or the initial List 1 according to their POC values when adding or listing the reference pictures into the initial List 0 or the initial List 1 is needed.

In the initialization process, video decoder 30 may implement a default construction technique to construct the initial List 0 and the initial List 1. The default construction technique may mean that video decoder 30 constructs the initial reference picture lists without receiving syntax elements from video encoder 20 regarding the manner in which video decoder 30 should construct the initial reference picture lists, or which reference pictures should be identified in the initial reference picture lists.

Video decoder 30 may invoke the reference picture list construction process when decoding a P or B slice header. For example, when decoding a P slice, video decoder 30 may invoke the process for constructing initial List 0, but may not invoke the process for constructing the initial List 1 because a block in a P slice is only un-predicted with respect to a reference picture identified in List 0. When decoding a B slice, video decoder 30 may invoke the process for constructing the initial List 0 and constructing the initial List 1 because a block in a B slice may be bi-predicted with respect to reference pictures identified in each of the List 0 and the List 1.

In accordance with the example techniques described in this disclosure, video decoder 30 may utilize reference picture subsets for constructing the initial List 0 and the initial List 1. For example, the initial List 0 and the initial List 1 may list zero or more reference pictures identified in RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, or RefPicSetLtCurr. In this example, when the reference picture list construction process is invoked, there may be at least one reference picture in RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, and RefPicSetLtCurr. Although the initial List 0 and the initial List 1 may identify one or more reference pictures from the same reference picture subsets, the order in which video decoder 30 adds the reference pictures in the initial List 0 may be different than the order in which video decoder 30 adds the reference pictures in the initial List 1.

In this disclosure, when video decoder 30 adds (e.g., lists) reference pictures from one or more of the reference picture subsets in initial List 0 or initial List 1, this disclosure refers to video decoder 30 identifying the reference pictures in the initial List 0 or initial List 1. For example, the plurality of reference picture subsets may each identify zero or more reference pictures. To construct initial List 0 and initial List 1, video decoder 30 may identify one or more of the reference pictures that are identified in the reference picture subsets into the initial List 0 or the initial List 1.

To avoid confusion and to assist with clarity, this disclosure may refer to video decoder 30 listing or adding zero or more of the reference pictures that are identified in the reference picture subsets into the initial List 0 and the initial List 1 to construct the initial List 0 and the initial List 1. In this manner, video decoder 30 adding or listing reference pictures means that video decoder 30 adds or lists an identifier of the reference picture identified in reference picture subset. Accordingly, the resulting initial List 0 and initial List 1 include a plurality of identifiers for the reference pictures that can potentially be used for coding a block or slice of a current picture. These reference pictures are stored in respective decoded picture buffers of video decoder 30 and video encoder 20.

For example, to construct the initial List 0, video decoder 30 may first list (e.g., add) the reference pictures identified in RefPicSetStCurr0 in initial List 0, followed by the reference pictures identified in RefPicSetStCurr1 in initial List 0, and then reference pictures identified in RefPicSetLtCurr in initial List 0. To construct the initial List 1, video decoder 30 may first list (e.g., add) the reference pictures identified in RefPicSetStCurr1 in initial List 1, followed by the reference pictures identified in RefPicSetStCurr0 in initial List 1, and then reference pictures identified in RefPicSetLtCurr in initial List 1.

Moreover, in addition to adding the reference pictures in the reference picture subsets in different order, video decoder 30 may utilize a different number of reference pictures from each of the reference picture subsets when constructing List 0 and List 1. For example, List 0 and List 1 need not include all of the reference pictures from RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, and RefPicSetLtCurr. Rather, the number of reference pictures that are listed from these example reference picture subsets to construct initial List 0 and initial List 1 may be based on the syntax elements that indicate the maximum number of reference pictures within each of the initial List 0 and the initial List 1.

For example, for the initial List 0, video encoder 20 may signal the num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1 syntax element for P and B slices in the slice header, and the num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1 syntax element for B slices that are bi-predicted. As described above, the num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1 may define the maximum number of reference pictures that can be in the initial List 0, and num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1 may define the maximum number of reference pictures that can be in the initial List 1. In some examples, it may be possible that the value of num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1 is different than the value of num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1, although this may not be necessary in every example. In some examples, the value of num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1 may be the same as the value of num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1.

As described above, video decoder 30 may receive in the coded bitstream the values for num_short_term_curr0 and num_short_term_curr1. Video decoder 30 may define the variable NumShortTermCurr0 equal to num_short_term_curr0 and define the variable NumShortTermCurr1 equal to num_short_term_curr1. NumShortTermCurr0 may indicate the number of reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset, and NumShortTermCurr1 may indicate the number of reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset.

Video decoder 30 may also receive in the coded bitstream the values for num_long_term_pps_curr and num_long_term_add_curr. Video decoder 30 may define the variable NumLongTermCurr as equal to num_long_term_pps_curr plus num_long_term_add_curr. NumLongTermCurr may indicate the number of reference pictures in RefPicSetLtCurr.

To construct the initial List 0, video decoder 30 may first add reference pictures in RefPicSetStCurr0 into the initial List 0 until video decoder 30 added all reference pictures in RefPicSetStCurr0 into the initial List 0, and as long as the number of entries in initial List 0 (e.g., the number of reference pictures identified in List 0) is less than or equal to num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1. For example, NumShortTermCurr0 may indicate the number of reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset. In this example, video decoder 30 may list (e.g., add) reference pictures from the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset until the number of reference pictures listed from RefPicSetStCurr0 equals NumShortTermCurr0. However, while listing reference pictures of RefPicSetStCurr0 into initial List 0, if the total number of entries in initial List 0 equals num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1, then video decoder 30 may stop adding reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset even if there are additional pictures in RefPicSetStCurr0 that have not been listed in initial List 0. In this case, video decoder 30 may have completed the construction of initial List 0.

After video decoder 30 listed all reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset and the total number of entries in initial List 0 is less than num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1, video decoder 30 may then add reference pictures in RefPicSetStCurr1 until video decoder 30 identified all reference pictures in RefPicSetStCurr1, and as long as the number of entries in initial List 0 (e.g., the number of reference pictures identified in List 0) is less than or equal to num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1. For example, similar to above, NumShortTermCurr1 may indicate the number of reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset. In this example, video decoder 30 may list reference pictures from the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset until the number of reference pictures listed from the RefPicSetStCurr1 equals NumShortTermCurr1. However, while listing reference pictures from RefPicSetStCurr1, if the total number of entries in initial List 0 equals num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1, then video decoder 30 may stop adding reference pictures from the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset even if there are additional pictures in RefPicSetStCurr1 that have not been listed in initial List 0. In this case, video decoder 30 may have completed the construction of initial List 0.

After video decoder 30 lists all reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset and the total number of entries in initial List 0 is less than num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1, video decoder 30 may then list reference pictures in RefPicSetLtCurr until video decoder 30 has listed all reference pictures in RefPicSetLtCurr, and as long as the number of entries in initial List 0 (e.g., the number of reference pictures identified in List 0) is less than or equal to num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1. For example, similar to above, NumLongTermCurr may indicate the number of reference pictures in the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset. In this example, video decoder 30 may list reference pictures from the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset until the number of reference pictures listed from the RefPicSetLtCurr equals NumLongTermCurr. However, while listing reference pictures from RefPicSetLtCurr into initial List 0, if the total number of entries in initial List 0 equals num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1, then video decoder 30 may stop adding reference pictures in the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset even if there are additional pictures in RefPicSetLtCurr that have not been listed in initial List 0. In this case, video decoder 30 may have completed the construction of initial List 0.

The following pseudo code illustrates the manner in which video decoder 30 may construct the initial List 0.

cIdx = 0 while( cIdx <= num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1 ) { for( i=0; i < NumShortTermCurr0 && cIdx <= num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1; cIdx++, i++ ) RefPicList0[ cIdx ] = RefPicSetStCurr0[ i ] for( i=0; i < NumShortTermCurr1 && cIdx <= num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1; cIdx++, i++ ) RefPicList0[ cIdx ] = RefPicSetStCurr1[ i ] for( i=0; i < NumLongTermCurr && cIdx <= num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1; cIdx++, i++ ) RefPicList0[ cIdx ] = RefPicSetLtCurr[ i ] }

In the above pseudo code, RefPicList0 may be the initial List 0. In examples where modification of the List 0 is not needed, the final List 0 may equal the initial List 0. Therefore, in examples where modification of the List 0 is not needed, RefPicList0, in the above pseudo code, may be the final List 0.

Video decoder 30 may similarly construct the initial List 1. However, to construct the initial List 1, video decoder 30 may first add the reference pictures from the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset into initial List 1, followed by the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset into initial List 1, and followed by the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset into initial List 1. Also, similar to above, if, while listing reference pictures from any one of the RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStCurr0, and RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subsets, the total number of entries in the initial List 1 equals num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1, video decoder 30 may stop adding reference pictures, even if there are additional reference pictures in these reference picture subsets.

For example, to construct the initial List 1, video decoder 30 may first list reference pictures from RefPicSetStCurr1 until video decoder 30 identified all reference pictures in RefPicSetStCurr1, and as long as the number of entries in the initial List 1 (e.g., the number of reference pictures identified in List 1) is less than or equal to num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1. For example, the value of NumShortTermCurr1 may indicate when video decoder 30 has completed listing all of the reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset. However, while listing reference pictures from RefPicSetStCurr1, if the total number of entries in the initial List 1 equals num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1, then video decoder 30 may stop adding reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset even if there are additional pictures in RefPicSetStCurr1 that have not been listed in the initial List 1. In this case, video decoder 30 may have completed the construction of the initial List 1.

After video decoder 30 lists all reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset and the total number of entries in the initial List 1 is less than num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1, video decoder 30 may then list reference pictures from RefPicSetStCurr0 until video decoder 30 listed all reference pictures in RefPicSetStCurr0, and as long as the number of entries in the initial List 1 (e.g., the number of reference pictures identified in List 1) is less than or equal to num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1. For example, similar to above, the value of NumShortTermCurr0 may indicate when video decoder 30 has completed listing all of the reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset. However, while listing reference pictures from RefPicSetStCurr0 into initial List 1, if the total number of entries in the initial List 1 equals num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1, then video decoder 30 may stop adding reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset even if there are additional pictures in RefPicSetStCurr0 that have not been listed in the initial List 1. In this case, video decoder 30 may have completed the construction of the initial List 1.

After video decoder 30 lists all reference pictures in the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset and the total number of entries in the initial List 1 is less than num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1, video decoder 30 may then list reference pictures in RefPicSetLtCurr until video decoder 30 lists all reference pictures in RefPicSetLtCurr, and as long as the number of entries in the initial List 1 (e.g., the number of reference pictures identified in List 1) is less than or equal to num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1. For example, similar to above, the value of NumLongTermCurr may indicate when video decoder 30 completed listing all of the reference pictures in the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset. However, while listing reference pictures from RefPicSetLtCurr, if the total number of entries in the initial List 1 equals num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1, then video decoder 30 may stop adding reference pictures in the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset even if there are additional pictures in RefPicSetLtCurr that have not been listed in the initial List 1. In this case, video decoder 30 may have completed the construction of the initial List 1.

The following pseudo code illustrates the manner in which video decoder 30 may construct the initial List 1.

cIdx = 0 while( cIdx <= num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1 ) { for( i=0; i < NumShortTermCurr1 && cIdx <= num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1; cIdx++, i++ ) RefPicList1[ cIdx ] = RefPicSetStCurr1 [ i ] for( i=0; i < NumShortTermCurr0 && cIdx <= num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1; cIdx++, i++ ) RefPicList1[ cIdx ] = RefPicSetStCurr0[ i ] for( i=0; i < NumLongTermCurr && cIdx <= num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1; cIdx++, i++ ) RefPicList1[ cIdx ] = RefPicSetLtCurr[ i ] }

In the above pseudo code, RefPicList1 may be the initial List 1. In examples where modification of List 1 is not needed, the final List 1 may equal the initial List 1. Therefore, in examples where modification of List 1 is not needed, RefPicList1, in the above pseudo code, may be the final List 1.

The preceding is one example way in which video decoder 30 may construct the final list 0 and final list 1, when reference picture list modification is not needed. In other examples, video decoder 30 may add the reference picture subsets in a different order than those described above. In yet some other examples, video decoder 30 may add reference picture subsets other than those described above.

Although the preceding examples described the techniques for reference picture list construction being performed by video decoder 30, aspects of this disclosure are not so limited, and video encoder 20 may implement similar techniques for constructing the reference picture lists. However, it may not be necessary for video encoder 20 to construct the reference picture lists in the same manner in which video decoder 30 constructs the reference picture lists.

Accordingly, a video coder (e.g., video encoder 20 or video decoder 30) may be configured to code (e.g., encode or decode) information indicative of reference pictures that belong to a reference picture set. As described above, the reference pictures set identifies reference pictures that can potentially be used for inter-predicting a current picture and can potentially be used for inter-predicting one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order.

The video coder may also be configured to construct a plurality of reference picture subsets that each identifies zero or more reference pictures. For example, the video coder may construct at least the RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, and RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subsets. The video coder may construct additional reference picture subsets, such as the ones described above.

The video coder may then add reference pictures from a first reference picture subset, followed by reference pictures from a second reference picture subset, and followed by reference pictures from the a third reference picture subset into an initial reference picture list as long as a number of initial reference picture list entries is not greater than a maximum number of allowable reference picture list entries. For example, the video coder may list reference pictures from the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset, followed by the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset, and followed by the RefPicSetLtCurr subset into the initial List 0 as long as the number of entries in the initial List 0 is not greater than num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1. Again, the value of num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1 may indicate the maximum number of allowable reference picture list entries for List 0.

In some examples, the video coder may add the reference pictures from the first reference picture subset in the initial reference picture list until all reference pictures in the first reference picture subset are listed in the initial reference picture list or the number of initial reference picture list entries is equal to the maximum number of allowable reference picture list entries. When the number of initial reference picture list entries is less than the maximum number of allowable reference picture list entries, and after adding the reference pictures from the first reference picture subset, the video coder may add the reference pictures from the second reference picture subset in the initial reference picture list until all reference pictures in the second reference picture subset are listed in the initial reference picture list or the number of initial reference picture list entries is equal to the maximum number of allowable reference picture list entries. When the number of initial reference picture list entries is less than the maximum number of allowable reference picture list entries, and after adding the reference pictures from the second reference picture subset, the video coder may add the reference pictures from the third reference picture subset in the initial reference picture list until all reference pictures in the third reference picture subset are listed in the initial reference picture list or the number of initial reference picture list entries is equal to the maximum number of allowable reference picture list entries.

The video coder may similarly construct the initial List 1. For example, the video coder may add reference pictures from the second reference picture subset, followed by reference pictures from the first reference picture subset, and followed by reference pictures from the third reference picture subset into initial List 1 as long as the number of initial reference picture list entries in initial List 1 is not greater than num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1. The num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1 syntax element may define the maximum number of allowable entries in List 1.

In some examples, such as when modification is not needed, the initial List 0 and initial List 1 may equal final List 0 and final List 1. In other words, the video coder may construct the final List 0 and final List 1 without modification of the initial List 0 and the initial List 1 when modification is not needed. In these cases, after constructing the initial List 0 and initial List 1, the video coder may not need to perform additional steps to construct the final List 0 and final List 1 (i.e., the reference pictures lists that the video coder uses to code a block of the current picture).

As indicated in the above pseudo code, video decoder 30 may construct the initial List 0, while cIdx is less than or equal to num_ref_idx_l0_active_minus1, and may construct initial List 1, while cIdx is less than or equal to num_ref_idx_l1_active_minus1. This may result in video decoder 30 constructing the initial List 0 and the initial List 1 without any non-completed entry in the reference picture lists. For example, in some other video coding techniques, a video decoder for these other video techniques would construct the initial List 0 and List 1, utilizing techniques other than those described in this disclosure. For these other video coding techniques, if the number of entries in the initial List 0 and the initial List 1 were less than the maximum allowable number of entries, the video decoder for these other video coding techniques, would fill the remaining entries in List 0 and List 1 with “no reference picture” for the non-completed entries. The non-completed entries refer to entries in List 0 and List 1 after the last entry that identifies a reference picture and up to the last possible entry.

As an illustrative example to assist with understanding, a video decoder for these other video coding techniques may construct a List 0 with five entries, where the maximum number of allowable entries is ten entries. In this example, the video decoder for these other video coding techniques would fill the sixth through tenth entries as “no reference picture.” In this example, the non-completed entries would be the sixth entry (e.g., the entry after the last entry that identifies a reference picture) up to the tenth entry (e.g., the last possible entry as defined by the maximum number of allowable entries).

This disclosure describes various techniques for efficient signaling of reference picture sets, such that when a combination of signaled reference picture sets in the PPS and signaled reference picture sets in the slice header or APS are combined, the constructed short-term reference picture set can be used in creation of the subsets of the short-term reference picture set or in creation of the initial reference picture lists without reordering of the reference pictures according to their POC values. Furthermore, the disclosed techniques allow for accurate control of which reference pictures are to be inherited from the PPS and which ones are to be directly signaled in the slice header or APS.

As introduced above, some reference pictures of the reference picture set may be signaled in a picture parameter set (PPS) and the other reference pictures of the reference picture set may be signaled in the slice header. The video decoder can then construct the reference picture set using reference pictures in both the PPS and the slice header. However, these techniques may require the video decoder to reorder the constructed reference picture set before the video decoder can construct the initial reference picture list for a slice of video. This intermediate reordering step may waste processing cycles, and thereby increase the amount of time it takes the video decoder to decode a current picture.

To address this, as one example, this disclosure describes a “combine_with_reference_flag” syntax element, a “ref_pic_set_combination_idx” syntax element, a “ref_pic_set_offset0” syntax element, and a “ref_pic_set_offset1” syntax element that indicate which reference pictures a video decoder should use from the PPS to construct the reference picture set. The techniques also describe a limitation applied to which pictures can be included in the slice header. In this way, the video decoder may construct the reference picture set in such a manner that the video decoder does not need to reorder the reference picture set before constructing the initial reference picture list.

In the techniques of this disclosure, when the “combine_with_reference_flag” syntax element is set to true (e.g., has a value of 1), the video decoder determines that the reference picture set for the current picture will be constructed from reference pictures both in the PPS and in the slice header of the current picture. The “ref_pic_set_combination_idx” syntax element is a syntax element that identifies a candidate of reference pictures within the PPS. As one illustrative example, there may be five candidates of reference pictures, and each candidate may include 10 reference pictures. The value of the “ref_pic_set_combination_idx” syntax element may refer to one of the five candidates, in this example.

The reference pictures in each of the candidates may be ordered according to their delta POC values. POC values indicate an output order of the pictures, and the delta POC values may be a difference between the POC value of the current picture and the POC value of the reference picture. As one example, the 10 reference pictures in one candidate may have delta POC values from −5 to −1 and 1 to 5; however, other values are possible. In this example, the delta POC value of −5 means that POC value of the reference picture minus the POC value of the current picture is −5. Because POC values indicate output order, a negative delta POC value may indicate that the reference picture is outputted (e.g., displayed) earlier than the current picture, and a positive delta POC value may indicate that the reference picture is outputted after the current picture.

The value of the ref_pic_set_offset0 syntax element indicates how many reference pictures that are earlier in output order than the current picture should be removed from the identified candidate. The value of the ref_pic_set_offset1 syntax element indicates how many reference pictures that are later in output order than the current picture should be removed from the identified candidate. In some examples, the pictures that the video decoder removes are those that are the most distant from the current picture in output order.

For instance, assume that the values of the ref_pic_set_offset0 and ref_pic_set_offset1 are both equal to 2. In this example, the video decoder may remove 2 pictures from the reference pictures of the candidate identified by the ref_pic_set_combination_idx value. In the previous example, the reference pictures may be the reference pictures that correspond to delta POC values −5 to −1 and 1 to 5. In this example, the video decoder may remove two of the reference pictures that correspond to the reference pictures with delta POC values of −5 to −1, and two of the reference pictures that correspond to the reference pictures with delta POC values 1 to 5. Further, in some instances, the reference pictures that the video decoder removes may be the reference pictures that correspond to the delta POC values of −5, −4, 4, and 5 because these are the reference pictures that are furthest away from the current picture in output order.

Accordingly, in this example, the video decoder may determine that the video decoder should use 6 of the reference pictures in the identified candidate within the PPS. In particular, in this example, the reference pictures would be those that correspond to delta POC values −3 to −1 and 1 to 3.

The video decoder may then identify the remaining pictures of the reference picture set from the slice header of a slice. However, to ensure that the video decoder may not need to reorder the reference pictures set, there may be certain limitations placed on which reference pictures can be included in the slice header.

In some examples, the reference pictures identified in the slice header must be further in distance, in output order, than any of the reference pictures identified in the PPS. For instance, keeping with the previous example, a reference picture with a delta POC value of −6 or +6 may qualify as a reference picture that can be included in the slice header because this reference picture is further away than any of the reference pictures in the PPS.

The video decoder may then construct the reference picture set as a combination of two subsets. The first subset may include reference pictures that occur temporally prior to the current picture, and the second subset may include reference pictures that occur temporally subsequent to the current picture. The video decoder may order the reference pictures of the first subset in descending POC order starting from the reference picture that is closest to the current picture, as identified with the delta POC value in the PPS, to the reference picture that is furthest away from the current picture, as identified with the delta POC value in the slice header. The video decoder may order the reference pictures in the second subset in ascending POC order starting from the reference picture that is closest to the current picture, as identified with the delta POC value in the PPS, to the reference picture that is furthest away from the current picture, as identified with the delta POC value in the slice header. In this manner, the video decoder may construct the reference picture set in such a way that the video decoder may not need to reorder the reference picture set when the video decoder constructs the initial reference picture list.

Table 6 shows example syntax and semantics for implementing the techniques the disclosed.

TABLE 6 Reference picture set syntax ref_pic_set( ) { Descriptor  ref_pic_set_pps_flag u(1)  if( ref_pic_set_pps_flag)   ref_pic_set_idx u(v)  else {   combine_with_reference_flag u(1)   if( combine_with_reference_flag ) {     ref_pic_set_combination_idx u(v)     ref_pic_set_offset0 ue(v)     ref_pic_set_offset1 ue(v)   }   num_negative_pics ue(v)   for( i = 0; i < num_negative_pics; i++ ) {    negative_delta_poc_minus1[ i ] ue(v)    used_by_curr_pic_flag0[ i ] u(1)   }   if( positive_pics_in_ref_pic_set_flag ){    num_positive_pics ue(v)    for( i = 0; i < num_positive_pics; i++ ) {     delta_poc_minus1[ i ] ue(v)     used_by_curr_pic_flag1[ i ] u(1)    }   }  }  if( long_term_ref_pics_present_flag ) {   num_long_term_pps ue(v)   num_long_term_add ue(v)   for( i = 0; i < num_long_term_pps; i++ )    long_term_ref_pic_set_idx_pps[ i ] ue(v)   for( i = 0; i < num_long_term_add; i++ ) {    long_term_ref_pic_poc_delta_add[ i ] i(v)    used_by_curr_pic_flag_add[ i ] u(1)   }  } }

The content of the reference picture set syntax structure can be the same in all slice headers of a picture.

The syntax element “ref_pic_set_pps_flag” set equal to 1 can specify that the short-term reference picture set of the current picture can be created using syntax elements in the active picture parameter set only. The syntax element “ref_pic_set_pps_flag” set equal to 0 can specify that the short-term reference picture set of the current picture can be created using zero or more short-term reference pictures explicitly signaled in the ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure, possibly combined with short-term reference pictures indicated by syntax elements in the active picture parameter set.

The syntax element “ref_pic_set_idx” can specify the index to the list of the short-term reference picture sets specified in the active picture parameter set that can be used for creation of the reference picture set of the current picture. The syntax element “ref_pic_set_idx” can be represented by ceil(log 2(num_ref_pic_sets)) bits, and the value of the syntax element “ref_pic_set_idx” can be in the range of 0 to num_ref_pic_sets−1, inclusive.

The variables RpsPoc[i] and RpsByCurrPic[i], for all i values in the range of 0 to num_negative_pics_pps[idx]+num_positive_pics_pps[idx], and the variables Offset, and RpsNumRefPics can be derived as follows:

idx = ref_pic_set_idx Offset = num_negative_pics_pps[ idx ] RpsNumRefPics =Offset + num_positive_pics_pps[ idx ] for( i = 0; i < RpsNumRefPics; i++ ) { RpsPoc[ i ] = PicOrderCnt + DeltaPocPps[ idx ][ i ] RpsByCurrPic[ i ] = ByCurrPicPps[ idx ][ i ] } Where PicOrderCnt is the picture order count of the current picture.

The syntax element “combine_with_reference_flag” set equal to 1 can specify that syntax elements from the active picture parameter set are used to assign values in the lists RpsPoc and RpsByCurrPic in combination with explicit signaling in the ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure. The syntax element “combine_with_reference_flag” set equal to 0 can specify that syntax elements from the active picture parameter set are not used to assign values in the lists RpsPoc and RpsByCurrPic in combination with explicit signaling in the ref_pic_set( ) syntax structure.

The syntax element “ref_pic_set_combination_idx” can specify the index to the lists RpsPoc and RpsbyCurrPic that can be used for creation of the reference picture set of the current picture in combination with explicit signaling. The syntax element “ref_pic_set_combination_idx” can be represented by ceil(log 2(num_ref_pic_sets)) bits, and the value of the syntax element “ref_pic_set_combination_idx” can be in the range of 0 to num_ref_pic_sets−1, inclusive.

The syntax elements “ref_pic_set_offset0” and “ref_pic_set_offset1” can specify the values of the variables Offset0 and Offset1, respectively, that are used in the derivation of the lists RpsPoc and RpsbyCurrPic as follows. Let idx be equal to ref_pic_set_combination_idx. The value of ref_pic_set_offset0 can be in the range of 0 to num_negative_pics_pps[idx], inclusive. The value of ref_pic_set_offset1 can be in the range of 0 to num_positive_pics_pps[idx], inclusive.

The variables Offset0 and Offset1 are derived as follows:

idx = ref_pic_set_combination_idx Offset0 = num_negative_pics_pps[ idx ] − ref_pic_set_offset0 Offset1 = num_positive_pics_pps[ idx ] − ref_pic_set_offset1

If the syntax element “combine_with_reference_flag” is set equal to 0, then the variables Offset0 and Offset1 can both inferred to be equal to 0.

The syntax element “num_negative_pics” can specify the number of the following negative_delta_poc_minus1[i] and used_by_curr_pic_flag0[i] syntax elements. The value of num_negative_pics can be in the range of 0 to max_num_ref_frames, inclusive.

The variable Offset can be derived as follows: Offset=Offset0+num_negative_pics

The variables RpsPoc[i] and RpsByCurrPic[i], for all i values in the range of 0 to Offset0, inclusive, can be derived as follows:

idx = ref_pic_set combination_idx for( i = 0; i < Offset0; i++ ) { RpsPoc[ i ] = PicOrderCnt + DeltaPocPps[ idx ][ i ] RpsByCurrPic[ i ] = ByCurrPicPps[ idx ][ i ] } Where PicOrdercCnt is the picture order count of the current picture.

The syntax element “negative_delta_poc_minus1[i]” plus 1 can specify an absolute difference between two picture order count values. The value of negative_delta_poc_minus1[i] can be in the range of 0 to MaxPicOrderCntLsb−1, inclusive.

The variable RpsPoc[i+Offset0] can be derived as follows:

if (i = = 0) RpsPoc[ i + Offset0 ] = PicOrderCnt − (negative_delta_poc_minus1[ i ] + 1 ) Else RpsPoc[ i + Offset0 ] = RpsPoc[ i + Offset0 − 1 ] − (negative_delta_poc minus1[ i ] + 1 ) Where PicOrderCnt is the picture order count of the current picture.

When Offset0 is greater than 0, the value of RpsPoc[Offset0] can be less than the value of RpsPoc[Offset0−1]. This expresses the following constraint when combine_with_reference_flag is equal to 1. For reference pictures to be included into the short-term reference picture set of the current picture that have picture order count less than that of the current picture, any picture directly signaled in the slice header can have picture order count less than that of any picture inherited from the PPS.

The syntax element “used_by_curr_pic_flag0[i]” equal to 0 can specify that the i-th short-term reference picture that has picture order count less than that of the current picture is not used in inter prediction of the current picture.

The variable RpsByCurrPic[i+Offset0] can be derived as follows: RpsByCurrPic[i+Offset0]=used_by_curr_pic_flag0[i]

The syntax element “num_positive_pics” can specify the number of the following positive_delta_poc_minus1[i] and used_by_curr_pic_flag1[i] syntax elements. The value of num_positive_pics can be in the range of 0 to max_num_ref_frames−Offset, inclusive. When not present, the value of num_positive_pics can be inferred to be equal to 0.

The variable RpsNumRefPics can be derived as follows: RpsNumRefPics=num_negative_pics+Offset0+num_positive_pics+Offset1

The variables RpsPoc[i] and RpsByCurrPic[i], for all i values in the range of Offset to Offset+Offset1−1, inclusive, can be derived as follows:

idx = ref_pic_set_combination_idx offsetPps = num_negative_pics_pps[ idx ] for( i = 0; i < Offset1; i++ ) { RpsPoc[ i + Offset ] = PicOrderCnt + DeltaPocPps[ idx ][ i + offsetPps ] RpsByCurrPic[ i + Offset ] = ByCurrPicPps[ idx ][ i + offsetPps ] } In the above, PicOrdercCnt is the picture order count of the current picture.

The syntax element “delta_poc_minus1[i]” can specify an absolute difference between two picture order count values. The value of delta_poc_minus1[i] can be in the range of 0 to MaxPicOrderCntLsb−1, inclusive.

The variable RpsPoc[i+Offset+Offset1] can be derived as follows:

if (i = = 0) RpsPoc[ i + Offset + Offset1 ] = PicOrderCnt + delta_poc_minus1[ i ] + 1 Else RpsPoc[ i + Offset + Offset1 ] = RpsPoc[ i + Offset + Offset1 − 1 ] + (delta_poc_minus1[ i ] + 1) In the above, PicOrderCnt is the picture order count of the current picture.

When Offset1 is greater than 0, the value of RpsPoc[Offset+Offset1] can be greater than the value of RpsPoc[Offset+Offset1−1]. This expresses the following constraint when combine_with_reference_flag is equal to 1. For reference pictures to be included into the short-term reference picture set of the current picture that have picture order count greater than that of the current picture, any picture directly signaled in the slice header can have picture order count greater than that of any picture inherited from the PPS.

The syntax element “used_by_curr_pic_flag1[i]” set equal to 0 can specify that the i-th short-term reference picture that has picture order count greater than that of the current picture is not used in inter prediction of the current picture.

The variable RpsbyCurrPic[i+Offset+Offset1]] can be derived as follows: RpsByCurrPic[i+Offset+Offset1]=used_by_curr_pic_flag1[i]

The syntax element “num_long_term_pps” can specify the number of long-term reference pictures that are specified in the referred picture parameter set and that are to be included in the long-term reference picture set of the current picture. If num_long_term_pps is not present, the value can be derived as equal to 0. The value of num_long_term_pps can be in the range of 0 to max_num_ref_frames, inclusive.

The variable LtOffset is derived as follows: LtOffset=num_long_term_pps

The syntax element “num_long_term_add” can specify the number of long-term reference pictures that are not specified in the referred picture parameter set and that are to be included in the long-term reference picture set of the current picture. If num_long_term_add is not present, the value can be derived as equal to 0. The value of num_long_term_add can be in the range of 0 to max_num_ref_frames-num_long_term_pps, inclusive.

The variable LtRpsNumRefPics is derived as follows: LtRpsNumRefPics=LtOffset+num_long_term_add

The syntax element “long_term_ref_pic_set_idx_pps[i]” can specify the index, to the list of long-term reference pictures specified in the referred picture parameter set, of the i-th long-term reference picture inherited from the referred picture parameter set to the long-term reference picture set of the current picture. The value of long_term_ref_pic_set_idx_pps[i] can be in the range of 0 to 31, inclusive.

The variables LtRpsPoc[i] and LtRpsByCurrPic[i] can be derived as follows.

LtRpsPoc[ i ] = LtPocPps[ long_term_ref_pic_set_idx_pps[ i ] ] LtRpsByCurrPic[ i ] = LtByCurrPicPps[ long_term_ref_pic_set_idx_pps[ i ] ]

The syntax element “long_term_ref_pic_poc_delta_add[i]” can specify the picture order count of the i-th long-term reference picture that is not inherited from the referred picture parameter set but included in the long-term reference picture set of the current picture. The number of bits used to represent the syntax element “long_term_ref_pic_poc_delta_add[i]” can be equal to long_term_ref_pic_poc_len_minus4+4.

The variables LtRpsPoc[i+LtOffset] is derived as follows: LtRpsPoc[i+LtOffset]=PicOrderCnt−long_term_ref_pic_poc_delta_add[i] Where PicOrderCnt is the picture order count of the current picture.

The syntax element “used_by_curr_pic_flag_add[i]” set equal to 0 can specify that the i-th long-term reference picture that is not inherited from the referred picture parameter set but included in the long-term reference picture set of the current picture is not used in inter prediction of the current picture.

The variable LtRpsbyCurrPic[i+LtOffset] is derived as follows: LtRpsByCurrPic[i+LtOffset]=used_by_curr_pic_flag_add[i]

As described above, the techniques described in this disclosure may be performed in accordance with the HEVC standard. The following is a brief description of the HEVC standard to assist with understanding. Furthermore, although the techniques are described in context of the HEVC standard, the techniques may be extendable to other standards, including proprietary standards.

The JCT-VC is working on development of the HEVC standard. The HEVC standardization efforts are based on an evolving model of a video coding device referred to as the HEVC Test Model (HM). The HM presumes several additional capabilities of video coding devices relative to existing devices according to, e.g., ITU-T H.264/AVC. For example, whereas H.264 provides nine intra-prediction encoding modes, the HM may provide as many as thirty-three intra-prediction encoding modes.

In general, the working model of the HM describes that a video frame or picture may be divided into a sequence of treeblocks or largest coding units (LCU) that include both luma and chroma samples. A treeblock has a similar purpose as a macroblock of the H.264 standard. A slice includes a number of consecutive treeblocks in decoding order. A video frame or picture may be partitioned into one or more slices. Each treeblock may be split into coding units (CUs) according to a quadtree. For example, a treeblock, as a root node of the quadtree, may be split into four child nodes, and each child node may in turn be a parent node and be split into another four child nodes. A final, unsplit child node, as a leaf node of the quadtree, comprises a coding node, i.e., a coded video block. Syntax data associated with a coded bitstream may define a maximum number of times a treeblock may be split, and may also define a minimum size of the coding nodes. Treeblocks may be referred to as LCUs in some examples.

A CU includes a coding node and prediction units (PUs) and transform units (TUs) associated with the coding node. A size of the CU corresponds to a size of the coding node and must be square in shape. The size of the CU may range from 8×8 pixels up to the size of the treeblock with a maximum of 64×64 pixels or greater. Each CU may contain one or more PUs and one or more TUs. Syntax data associated with a CU may describe, for example, partitioning of the CU into one or more PUs. Partitioning modes may differ between whether the CU is skip or direct mode encoded, intra-prediction mode encoded, or inter-prediction mode encoded. PUs may be partitioned to be non-square in shape. Syntax data associated with a CU may also describe, for example, partitioning of the CU into one or more TUs according to a quadtree. A TU can be square or non-square in shape.

The HEVC standard allows for transformations according to TUs, which may be different for different CUs. The TUs are typically sized based on the size of PUs within a given CU defined for a partitioned LCU, although this may not always be the case. The TUs are typically the same size or smaller than the PUs. In some examples, residual samples corresponding to a CU may be subdivided into smaller units using a quadtree structure known as “residual quad tree” (RQT). The leaf nodes of the RQT may be referred to as transform units (TUs). Pixel difference values associated with the TUs may be transformed to produce transform coefficients, which may be quantized.

In general, a PU includes data related to the prediction process. For example, when the PU is intra-mode encoded, the PU may include data describing an intra-prediction mode for the PU. As another example, when the PU is inter-mode encoded, the PU may include data defining a motion vector for the PU. The data defining the motion vector for a PU may describe, for example, a horizontal component of the motion vector, a vertical component of the motion vector, a resolution for the motion vector (e.g., one-quarter pixel precision or one-eighth pixel precision), a reference picture to which the motion vector points, and/or a reference picture list (e.g., List 0, List 1, or List C) for the motion vector.

In general, a TU is used for the transform and quantization processes. A given CU having one or more PUs may also include one or more transform units (TUs). Following prediction, video encoder 20 may calculate residual values corresponding to the PU. The residual values comprise pixel difference values that may be transformed into transform coefficients, quantized, and scanned using the TUs to produce serialized transform coefficients for entropy coding. This disclosure typically uses the term “video block” to refer to a coding node of a CU. In some specific cases, this disclosure may also use the term “video block” to refer to a treeblock, i.e., LCU, or a CU, which includes a coding node and PUs and TUs.

A video sequence typically includes a series of video frames or pictures. A group of pictures (GOP) generally comprises a series of one or more of the video pictures. A GOP may include syntax data in a header of the GOP, a header of one or more of the pictures, or elsewhere, that describes a number of pictures included in the GOP. Each slice of a picture may include slice syntax data that describes an encoding mode for the respective slice. Video encoder 20 typically operates on video blocks within individual video slices in order to encode the video data. A video block may correspond to a coding node within a CU. The video blocks may have fixed or varying sizes, and may differ in size according to a specified coding standard.

As an example, the HM supports prediction in various PU sizes. Assuming that the size of a particular CU is 2N×2N, the HM supports intra-prediction in PU sizes of 2N×2N or N×N, and inter-prediction in symmetric PU sizes of 2N×2N, 2N×N, N×2N, or N×N. The HM also supports asymmetric partitioning for inter-prediction in PU sizes of 2N×nU, 2N×nD, nL×2N, and nR×2N. In asymmetric partitioning, one direction of a CU is not partitioned, while the other direction is partitioned into 25% and 75%. The portion of the CU corresponding to the 25% partition is indicated by an “n” followed by an indication of “Up”, “Down,” “Left,” or “Right.” Thus, for example, “2N×nU” refers to a 2N×2N CU that is partitioned horizontally with a 2N×0.5N PU on top and a 2N×1.5N PU on bottom.

In this disclosure, “N×N” and “N by N” may be used interchangeably to refer to the pixel dimensions of a video block in terms of vertical and horizontal dimensions, e.g., 16×16 pixels or 16 by 16 pixels. In general, a 16×16 block will have 16 pixels in a vertical direction (y=16) and 16 pixels in a horizontal direction (x=16). Likewise, an N×N block generally has N pixels in a vertical direction and N pixels in a horizontal direction, where N represents a nonnegative integer value. The pixels in a block may be arranged in rows and columns. Moreover, blocks need not necessarily have the same number of pixels in the horizontal direction as in the vertical direction. For example, blocks may comprise N×M pixels, where M is not necessarily equal to N.

Following intra-predictive or inter-predictive coding using the PUs of a CU, video encoder 20 may calculate residual data for the TUs of the CU. The PUs may comprise pixel data in the spatial domain (also referred to as the pixel domain) and the TUs may comprise coefficients in the transform domain following application of a transform, e.g., a discrete cosine transform (DCT), an integer transform, a wavelet transform, or a conceptually similar transform to residual video data. The residual data may correspond to pixel differences between pixels of the unencoded picture and prediction values corresponding to the PUs. Video encoder 20 may form the TUs including the residual data for the CU, and then transform the TUs to produce transform coefficients for the CU.

Following any transforms to produce transform coefficients, video encoder 20 may perform quantization of the transform coefficients. Quantization generally refers to a process in which transform coefficients are quantized to possibly reduce the amount of data used to represent the coefficients, providing further compression. The quantization process may reduce the bit depth associated with some or all of the coefficients. For example, an n-bit value may be rounded down to an m-bit value during quantization, where n is greater than m.

In some examples, video encoder 20 may utilize a predefined scan order to scan the quantized transform coefficients to produce a serialized vector that can be entropy encoded. In other examples, video encoder 20 may perform an adaptive scan. After scanning the quantized transform coefficients to form a one-dimensional vector, video encoder 20 may entropy encode the one-dimensional vector, e.g., according to context adaptive variable length coding (CAVLC), context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC), syntax-based context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (SBAC), Probability Interval Partitioning Entropy (PIPE) coding or another entropy encoding methodology. Video encoder 20 may also entropy encode syntax elements associated with the encoded video data for use by video decoder 30 in decoding the video data.

To perform CABAC, video encoder 20 may assign a context within a context model to a symbol to be transmitted. The context may relate to, for example, whether neighboring values of the symbol are non-zero or not. To perform CAVLC, video encoder 20 may select a variable length code for a symbol to be transmitted. Codewords in VLC may be constructed such that relatively shorter codes correspond to more probable symbols, while longer codes correspond to less probable symbols. In this way, the use of VLC may achieve a bit savings over, for example, using equal-length codewords for each symbol to be transmitted. The probability determination may be based on a context assigned to the symbol.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example video sequence 33 that includes a plurality of pictures that are encoded and transmitted. In some cases, video sequence 33 may be referred to as a group of pictures (GOP). Video sequence 33, as illustrated, includes pictures 35A, 36A, 38A, 35B, 36B, 38B, and 35C, and final picture 39 in display order. Picture 34 is a final picture in display order for a sequence occurring before sequence 33. FIG. 2 generally represents an exemplary prediction structure for a video sequence and is intended only to illustrate the picture references used for predicting video blocks of different slice or picture types (e.g., P picture or slice, or B picture or slice). An actual video sequence may contain more or fewer video pictures of different picture types and in a different display order. Video sequence 33 may include more or fewer pictures than those illustrated in FIG. 2, and the pictures illustrated in video sequence 33 are illustrated for purposes of understanding and as examples.

For block-based video coding, each of the video pictures included in sequence 33 may be partitioned into video blocks, such as coding units (CUs) or prediction units (PUs). For instance, each CU of a video picture may include one or more PUs. Video blocks in an intra-coded (I) picture are predicted using spatial prediction with respect to neighboring blocks in the same picture. Video blocks in an inter-coded (P or B) picture may use spatial prediction with respect to neighboring blocks in the same picture or temporal prediction with respect to other reference pictures.

Video blocks in a B picture may be predicted using bidirectional prediction to calculate two motion vectors from two different reference picture lists (e.g., reference picture lists 0 and 1, referred to as List 0 and List 1). In some cases, video blocks in a B picture may be predicted using unidirectional prediction from one of the two different reference picture lists (e.g., unidirectional B-coded). Video blocks in a P picture may be predicted using unidirectional prediction to calculate a single motion vector from a single reference picture list. In accordance with the emerging HEVC standard, the video blocks may be encoded using either unidirectional prediction to calculate a single motion vector from one of two reference picture lists or bidirectional prediction to calculate two motion vectors from the two reference picture lists. The two reference picture lists may contain past reference pictures or future reference pictures or both past and future reference pictures in display or output order, and always past reference pictures in decoding order, for example.

In the example of FIG. 2, final picture 39 is designated for intra-mode coding as an I picture. In other examples, final picture 39 may be coded with inter-mode coding (e.g., as a P picture) with reference to final picture 34 of the preceding sequence, which may be an I picture. Video pictures 35A-35C (collectively “video pictures 35”) are designated for coding as B pictures using bidirectional prediction with reference to a past picture and a future picture. In the illustrated example, picture 35A is encoded as a B picture with reference to final picture 34 and picture 36A, as indicated by the arrows from pictures 34 and 36A to video picture 35A. Pictures 35B and 35C are similarly encoded.

Video pictures 36A-36B (collectively “video pictures 36”) may be designated for coding as pictures using unidirectional prediction with reference to a past picture. In the illustrated example, picture 36A is encoded as a P picture with reference to final picture 34, as indicated by the arrow from picture 34 to video picture 36A. Picture 36B is similarly encoded.

In accordance with the techniques described in this disclosure, video encoder 20 may signal a reference picture set for each of the pictures in sequence 33. For example, for picture 35A, this reference picture set may identify all reference pictures that can be used to inter-predict picture 35A, as well as all reference pictures that can potentially be used for inter-predicting pictures following picture 35A in decoding order. For example, the reference picture set for picture 35A may include the POC value for picture 34 and picture 36A, as well as POC values for additional reference pictures such as those that can potentially be used for inter-predicting pictures following picture 35A in decoding order. The pictures following picture 35A may be those pictures that follow picture 35A in decoding order, and that are within video sequence 33, in this example.

Video decoder 30 may then derive the reference picture set for picture 35A in the manner described above. For example, video decoder 30 may determine the POC values for the reference pictures that belong to the reference picture set, as described above. Video decoder 30 may further construct at least four or at least five reference picture subsets, and in some examples, up to the six reference picture subsets descried above. Video decoder 30 may arrange the six reference picture sets in a particular order to derive the reference picture set for picture 35A.

Video decoder 30 may further construct initial reference picture lists in the manner described above, wherein no reordering of pictures to be included in the initial reference pictures lists is needed.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example video encoder 20 that may implement the techniques described in this disclosure. Video encoder 20 may perform intra- and inter-coding of video blocks within video slices. Intra-coding relies on spatial prediction to reduce or remove spatial redundancy in video within a given video frame or picture. Inter-coding relies on temporal prediction to reduce or remove temporal redundancy in video within adjacent frames or pictures of a video sequence. Intra-mode (I mode) may refer to any of several spatial based compression modes. Inter-modes, such as uni-directional prediction (P mode) or bi-prediction (B mode), may refer to any of several temporal-based compression modes.

In the example of FIG. 3, video encoder 20 includes a partitioning unit 35, prediction module 41, decoded picture buffer (DPB) 64, summer 50, transform module 52, quantization unit 54, and entropy encoding unit 56. Prediction module 41 includes motion estimation unit 42, motion compensation unit 44, and intra prediction module 46. For video block reconstruction, video encoder 20 also includes inverse quantization unit 58, inverse transform module 60, and summer 62. A deblocking filter (not shown in FIG. 3) may also be included to filter block boundaries to remove blockiness artifacts from reconstructed video. If desired, the deblocking filter would typically filter the output of summer 62. Additional loop filters (in loop or post loop) may also be used in addition to the deblocking filter.

As shown in FIG. 3, video encoder 20 receives video data, and partitioning unit 35 partitions the data into video blocks. This partitioning may also include partitioning into slices, tiles, or other larger units, as wells as video block partitioning, e.g., according to a quadtree structure of LCUs and CUs. Video encoder 20 generally illustrates the components that encode video blocks within a video slice to be encoded. The slice may be divided into multiple video blocks (and possibly into sets of video blocks referred to as tiles). Prediction module 41 may select one of a plurality of possible coding modes, such as one of a plurality of intra coding modes or one of a plurality of inter coding modes, for the current video block based on error results (e.g., coding rate and the level of distortion). Prediction module 41 may provide the resulting intra- or inter-coded block to summer 50 to generate residual block data and to summer 62 to reconstruct the encoded block for use as a reference picture.

Intra prediction module 46 within prediction module 41 may perform intra-predictive coding of the current video block relative to one or more neighboring blocks in the same picture or slice as the current block to be coded to provide spatial compression. Motion estimation unit 42 and motion compensation unit 44 within prediction module 41 perform inter-predictive coding of the current video block relative to one or more predictive blocks in one or more reference pictures to provide temporal compression.

Motion estimation unit 42 may be configured to determine the inter-prediction mode for a video slice according to a predetermined pattern for a video sequence. The predetermined pattern may designate video slices in the sequence as P slices or B slices. Motion estimation unit 42 and motion compensation unit 44 may be highly integrated, but are illustrated separately for conceptual purposes. Motion estimation, performed by motion estimation unit 42, is the process of generating motion vectors, which estimate motion for video blocks. A motion vector, for example, may indicate the displacement of a PU of a video block within a current video picture relative to a predictive block within a reference picture.

A predictive block is a block that is found to closely match the PU of the video block to be coded in terms of pixel difference, which may be determined by sum of absolute difference (SAD), sum of square difference (SSD), or other difference metrics. In some examples, video encoder 20 may calculate values for sub-integer pixel positions of reference pictures stored in decoded picture buffer 64. For example, video encoder 20 may interpolate values of one-quarter pixel positions, one-eighth pixel positions, or other fractional pixel positions of the reference picture. Therefore, motion estimation unit 42 may perform a motion search relative to the full pixel positions and fractional pixel positions and output a motion vector with fractional pixel precision.

Motion estimation unit 42 calculates a motion vector for a PU of a video block in an inter-coded slice by comparing the position of the PU to the position of a predictive block of a reference picture. The reference picture may be selected from a first reference picture list (List 0) or a second reference picture list (List 1), each of which identify one or more reference pictures stored in decoded picture buffer 64. Motion estimation unit 42 sends the calculated motion vector and other syntax elements to entropy encoding unit 56 and motion compensation unit 44.

Motion compensation, performed by motion compensation unit 44, may involve fetching or generating the predictive block based on the motion vector determined by motion estimation, possibly performing interpolations to sub-pixel precision. Upon receiving the motion vector for the PU of the current video block, motion compensation unit 44 may locate the predictive block to which the motion vector points in one of the reference picture lists. Video encoder 20 forms a residual video block by subtracting pixel values of the predictive block from the pixel values of the current video block being coded, forming pixel difference values. The pixel difference values form residual data for the block, and may include both luma and chroma difference components. Summer 50 represents the component or components that perform this subtraction operation. Motion compensation unit 44 may also generate syntax elements associated with the video blocks and the video slice for use by video decoder 30 in decoding the video blocks of the video slice.

Intra-prediction module 46 may intra-predict a current block, as an alternative to the inter-prediction performed by motion estimation unit 42 and motion compensation unit 44, as described above. In particular, intra-prediction module 46 may determine an intra-prediction mode to use to encode a current block. In some examples, intra-prediction module 46 may encode a current block using various intra-prediction modes, e.g., during separate encoding passes, and intra-prediction module 46 (or mode select unit 40, in some examples) may select an appropriate intra-prediction mode to use from the tested modes. For example, intra-prediction module 46 may calculate rate-distortion values using a rate-distortion analysis for the various tested intra-prediction modes, and select the intra-prediction mode having the best rate-distortion characteristics among the tested modes. Rate-distortion analysis generally determines an amount of distortion (or error) between an encoded block and an original, unencoded block that was encoded to produce the encoded block, as well as a bit rate (that is, a number of bits) used to produce the encoded block. Intra-prediction module 46 may calculate ratios from the distortions and rates for the various encoded blocks to determine which intra-prediction mode exhibits the best rate-distortion value for the block.

After selecting an intra-prediction mode for a block, intra-prediction module 46 may provide information indicative of the selected intra-prediction mode for the block to entropy encoding unit 56. Entropy encoding unit 56 may encode the information indicating the selected intra-prediction mode in accordance with the techniques of this disclosure. Video encoder 20 may include in the transmitted bitstream configuration data, which may include a plurality of intra-prediction mode index tables and a plurality of modified intra-prediction mode index tables (also referred to as codeword mapping tables), definitions of encoding contexts for various blocks, and indications of a most probable intra-prediction mode, an intra-prediction mode index table, and a modified intra-prediction mode index table to use for each of the contexts.

After prediction module 41 generates the predictive block for the current video block via either inter-prediction or intra-prediction, video encoder 20 forms a residual video block by subtracting the predictive block from the current video block. The residual video data in the residual block may be included in one or more TUs and applied to transform module 52. Transform module 52 transforms the residual video data into residual transform coefficients using a transform, such as a discrete cosine transform (DCT) or a conceptually similar transform. Transform module 52 may convert the residual video data from a pixel domain to a transform domain, such as a frequency domain.

Transform module 52 may send the resulting transform coefficients to quantization unit 54. Quantization unit 54 quantizes the transform coefficients to further reduce bit rate. The quantization process may reduce the bit depth associated with some or all of the coefficients. The degree of quantization may be modified by adjusting a quantization parameter. In some examples, quantization unit 54 may then perform a scan of the matrix including the quantized transform coefficients. Alternatively, entropy encoding unit 56 may perform the scan.

Following quantization, entropy encoding unit 56 entropy encodes the quantized transform coefficients. For example, entropy encoding unit 56 may perform context adaptive variable length coding (CAVLC), context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC), syntax-based context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (SBAC), probability interval partitioning entropy (PIPE) coding or another entropy encoding methodology or technique. Following the entropy encoding by entropy encoding unit 56, the encoded bitstream may be transmitted to video decoder 30, or archived for later transmission or retrieval by video decoder 30. Entropy encoding unit 56 may also entropy encode the motion vectors and the other syntax elements for the current video slice being coded.

Inverse quantization unit 58 and inverse transform module 60 apply inverse quantization and inverse transformation, respectively, to reconstruct the residual block in the pixel domain for later use as a reference block of a reference picture. Motion compensation unit 44 may calculate a reference block by adding the residual block to a predictive block of one of the reference pictures within one of the reference picture lists. Motion compensation unit 44 may also apply one or more interpolation filters to the reconstructed residual block to calculate sub-integer pixel values for use in motion estimation. Summer 62 adds the reconstructed residual block to the motion compensated prediction block produced by motion compensation unit 44 to produce a reference block for storage in decoded picture buffer 64. The reference block may be used by motion estimation unit 42 and motion compensation unit 44 as a reference block to inter-predict a block in a subsequent video frame or picture.

In accordance with this disclosure, prediction module 41 represents one example unit for performing the example functions described above. For example, prediction module 41 may determine which reference pictures belong to a reference picture set, and cause video encoder 20 to code information indicative of the reference pictures that belong to the reference picture set. Also, during the reconstruction process (e.g., the process used to reconstruct a picture for use as a reference picture and storage in decoded picture buffer 64), prediction module 41 may construct the plurality of reference picture subsets that each identifies one or more of the reference pictures. Prediction module 41 may also derive the reference picture set from the constructed plurality of reference picture subsets. Also, prediction module 41 may implement any one or more of the sets of example pseudo code described above to implement one or more example techniques described in this disclosure.

In some examples, prediction module 41 may construct the initial reference picture lists in the manner described above. In some examples, no reordering of the short-term reference picture set or the pictures to be included in the initial reference picture lists is needed. In other examples, a unit other than prediction module 41 may implement the examples described above. In some other examples, prediction module 41 in conjunction with one or more other units of video encoder 20 may implement the examples described above. In yet some other examples, a processor or unit of video encoder 20 (not shown in FIG. 3) may, alone or in conjunction with other units of video encoder 20, implement the examples described above.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example video decoder 30 that may implement the techniques described in this disclosure. In the example of FIG. 4, video decoder 30 includes an entropy decoding unit 80, prediction module 81, inverse quantization unit 86, inverse transformation unit 88, summer 90, and decoded picture buffer (DPB) 92. Prediction module 81 includes motion compensation unit 82 and intra prediction module 84. Video decoder 30 may, in some examples, perform a decoding pass generally reciprocal to the encoding pass described with respect to video encoder 20 from FIG. 3.

During the decoding process, video decoder 30 receives an encoded video bitstream that represents video blocks of an encoded video slice and associated syntax elements from video encoder 20. Entropy decoding unit 80 of video decoder 30 entropy decodes the bitstream to generate quantized coefficients, motion vectors, and other syntax elements. Entropy decoding unit 80 forwards the motion vectors and other syntax elements to prediction module 81. Video decoder 30 may receive the syntax elements at the video slice level and/or the video block level.

When the video slice is coded as an intra-coded (I) slice, intra prediction module 84 of prediction module 81 may generate prediction data for a video block of the current video slice based on a signaled intra prediction mode and data from previously decoded blocks of the current picture. When the video picture is coded as an inter-coded (i.e., B or P) slice, motion compensation unit 82 of prediction module 81 produces predictive blocks for a video block of the current video slice based on the motion vectors and other syntax elements received from entropy decoding unit 80. The predictive blocks may be produced from one of the reference pictures within one of the reference picture lists. Video decoder 30 may construct the reference frame lists, List 0 and List 1, using default construction techniques based on reference pictures stored in decoded picture buffer 92. In some examples, video decoder 30 may construct List 0 and List 1 from the reference pictures identified in the derived reference picture set.

Motion compensation unit 82 determines prediction information for a video block of the current video slice by parsing the motion vectors and other syntax elements, and uses the prediction information to produce the predictive blocks for the current video block being decoded. For example, motion compensation unit 82 uses some of the received syntax elements to determine a prediction mode (e.g., intra- or inter-prediction) used to code the video blocks of the video slice, an inter-prediction slice type (e.g., B slice or P slice), construction information for one or more of the reference picture lists for the slice, motion vectors for each inter-encoded video block of the slice, inter-prediction status for each inter-coded video block of the slice, and other information to decode the video blocks in the current video slice.

Motion compensation unit 82 may also perform interpolation based on interpolation filters. Motion compensation unit 82 may use interpolation filters as used by video encoder 20 during encoding of the video blocks to calculate interpolated values for sub-integer pixels of reference blocks. In this case, motion compensation unit 82 may determine the interpolation filters used by video encoder 20 from the received syntax elements and use the interpolation filters to produce predictive blocks.

Inverse quantization unit 86 inverse quantizes, i.e., de-quantizes, the quantized transform coefficients provided in the bitstream and decoded by entropy decoding unit 80. The inverse quantization process may include use of a quantization parameter calculated by video encoder 20 for each video block in the video slice to determine a degree of quantization and, likewise, a degree of inverse quantization that should be applied. Inverse transform module 88 applies an inverse transform, e.g., an inverse DCT, an inverse integer transform, or a conceptually similar inverse transform process, to the transform coefficients in order to produce residual blocks in the pixel domain.

After prediction module 81 generates the predictive block for the current video block based on either inter- or intra-prediction, video decoder 30 forms a decoded video block by summing the residual blocks from inverse transform module 88 with the corresponding predictive blocks generated by prediction module 81. Summer 90 represents the component or components that perform this summation operation. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. Other loop filters (either in the coding loop or after the coding loop) may also be used to smooth pixel transitions, or otherwise improve the video quality. The decoded video blocks in a given picture are then stored in decoded picture buffer 92, which stores reference pictures used for subsequent motion compensation. Decoded picture buffer 92 also stores decoded video for later presentation on a display device, such as display device 32 of FIG. 1.

In accordance with this disclosure, prediction module 81 represents one example unit for performing the example functions described above. For example, prediction module 81 may determine which reference pictures belong to a reference picture set. Also, prediction module 81 may construct the plurality of reference picture subsets that each identifies one or more of the reference pictures. Prediction module 81 may also derive the reference picture set from the constructed plurality of reference picture subsets. Also, prediction module 81 may implement any one or more of the sets of example pseudo code described above to implement one or more example techniques described in this disclosure.

In some examples, prediction module 81 may construct the initial reference picture lists in the manner described above. In some examples, no reordering of the short-term reference picture set or the pictures to be included in the initial reference picture lists is needed. In other examples, a unit other than prediction module 81 may implement the examples described above. In some other examples, prediction module 81 in conjunction with one or more other units of video decoder 30 may implement the examples described above. In yet some other examples, a processor or unit of video decoder 30 (not shown in FIG. 4) may, alone or in conjunction with other units of video decoder 30, implement the examples described above.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation of deriving a reference picture set. For purposes of illustration only, the method of FIG. 5 may be performed by a video coder corresponding to either video encoder 20 or video decoder 30. For example, a video coder (e.g., video encoder 20 or video decoder 30) may code (e.g., encode or decode) information indicative of reference pictures that belong to a reference picture set (94). The reference picture set may identify the reference pictures that can potentially be used for inter-predicting a current picture and for inter-predicting one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order.

For example, when video encoder 20 performs step 94, video encoder 20 may encode values that indicate identifiers for the reference pictures that belong to the reference picture set. For example, video encoder 20 may signal in the bitstream the pic_order_cnt_lsb syntax element, and the log 2_max_pic_order_cnt_lsb_minus4 syntax element. When video decoder 30 performs step 94, from the log 2_max_pic_order_cnt_lsb_minus4 syntax element, video decoder 30 may determine the value of MaxPicOrderCntLsb. Video decoder 30 may then determine the identifiers (e.g., the POC values) for the reference pictures that belong to the reference picture set.

The video coder may construct a plurality of reference picture subsets. Each reference picture subset may identify zero reference pictures or may identify one or more of the reference pictures (96). For example, the video coder may construct the RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, RefPicSetStFoll1, RefPicSetLtCurr, and the RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subsets. However, aspects of this disclosure are not so limited. In some examples, the video coder may construct five reference picture subsets, four of which may be four of the RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, RefPicSetStFoll1, RefPicSetLtCurr, and the RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subsets, and the fifth of which may be a combination of two of the remaining six reference picture subsets (e.g., a combination of the RefPicSetFoll0 and the RefPicSetFoll1 reference picture subsets).

In some examples, the video coder may construct at least two of the following four reference picture subsets. In other examples, the video coder may construct at least the following four reference picture subsets. The first reference picture subset may identify short-term reference pictures that are prior to the current picture in decoding order and prior to the current picture in output order and that can potentially be used for inter-predicting the current picture and one or more of the one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order. The second reference picture subset may identify short-term reference pictures that are prior to the current picture in decoding order and subsequent to the current picture in output order and that can potentially be used for inter-predicting the current picture and one or more of the one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order.

The third reference picture subset may identify long-term reference pictures that are prior to the current picture in decoding order and that can potentially be used for inter-predicting the current picture and one or more of the one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order. The fourth reference picture subset may identify long-term reference pictures that are prior to the current picture in decoding order and that cannot be used for inter-predicting the current picture, and can potentially be used for inter-predicting one or more of the one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order.

The video coder may derive the reference picture set from the plurality of reference picture subsets (98). For example, the video coder may order at least two of the RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, RefPicSetStFoll0, RefPicSetStFoll1, RefPicSetLtCurr, and the RefPicSetLtFoll reference picture subsets in a particular order to derive the reference picture set.

In some examples, the ordering performed by the video code may mean that the pictures in each of the reference picture subsets may be identified sequentially within the reference picture set. In these examples, the video coder may reference the reference pictures in the reference picture set by an index value into the reference picture set.

The video coder may code the current picture based on the derived reference picture set (100). It should be understood that because the video coder derives the reference picture set from the reference picture subsets, the video coder may be considered as coding the current picture based on the plurality of reference picture subsets. For example, the video coder may construct at least one of a first reference picture list and a second reference picture list based on the plurality of reference picture subsets (e.g., from the derived reference picture set which is derived from the plurality of reference picture subsets). The video coder may then code the current picture based on at least one of the first reference picture list and the second reference picture list.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation of constructing a reference picture list. For purposes of illustration only, the method of FIG. 6 may be performed by a video coder corresponding to either video encoder 20 or video decoder 30. Similar to FIG. 5, the video coder may code information indicative of reference pictures (102), and construct plurality of reference picture subsets (104).

The video coder may then add reference pictures from reference picture subsets, into an initial reference picture list, to construct the initial reference picture list (106). In some examples, both video encoder 20 and video decoder 30 may construct the initial reference picture list. For example, video encoder 20 may construct the initial reference picture list to create the reconstructed video blocks for storing in DPB 64. Video decoder 30 may construct the initial reference picture list as part of its decoding process, and may implement a default construction technique in which video decoder 30 does not need to receive information from video encoder 20 regarding the manner in which to construct the initial reference picture list. Video decoder 30 may, for example, store the initial reference picture list in DPB 92.

In some examples, to construct the initial reference picture list, the video coder may add reference pictures from a first subset of the plurality of reference picture subsets into the initial reference picture list, followed by reference pictures from a second subset into the initial reference picture list, and then followed by reference pictures from a third subset into the initial reference picture list. The video coder may add reference pictures from these reference picture subsets so long as the total number of reference pictures listed in the initial reference picture list is not greater than the maximum number of allowable entries in the initial reference picture list. For example, if at any time during the adding of the reference pictures in the reference picture list, the number of entries in the initial reference picture list becomes equal to the maximum number of allowable initial reference list entries, the video coder may stop adding any additional pictures in the initial reference picture list.

The video coder may similarly construct another initial reference picture list, such as in examples where the video block of the current picture is bi-predicted. In this example, to construct this another initial reference picture list, the video coder may add reference pictures from the second subset into the another initial reference picture list, followed by reference pictures from the first subset into the another initial reference picture list, and then followed by reference pictures from the third subset into the another initial reference picture list so long as the total number of entries in this another initial reference picture list is not greater than the allowable number of entries. In these examples, the first subset may be the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset, the second subset may be the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset, and the third subset may be the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset.

In some example, to add reference pictures identified in the RefPicSetStCurr0, RefPicSetStCurr1, and the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subsets, the video coder may code (e.g., encode or decode) syntax elements from which the video coder may determine the number of reference pictures in each of these reference picture subsets. For example, the video coder may code a num_short_term_curr0 syntax element and a num_short_term_curr1 syntax element. The num_short_term_curr0 syntax element and the num_short_term_curr1 syntax element may indicate the number of reference pictures identified in the RefPicSetStCurr0 reference picture subset and the RefPicSetStCurr1 reference picture subset, respectively.

The video coder may also code a num_long_term_pps_curr syntax element, and a num_long_term_add_curr syntax element. The num_long_term_pps_curr syntax element may indicate a number of long-term reference pictures whose identification is included in a picture parameter set (PPS), and the num_long_term_add_curr syntax element may indicate a number of long-term reference pictures whose identification information is not included in the PPS. In this example, these long-term reference pictures can potentially be used for inter-predicting the current picture and can potentially be used for inter-predicting one or more pictures following the current picture in decoding order.

The video coder may determine the number of reference pictures in the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset based on the num_long_term_pps_curr syntax element and the num_long_term_add_curr syntax element. For example, the video coder may sum the values of the num_long_term_pps_curr syntax element and the num_long_term_add_curr syntax element to determine the number of reference pictures in the RefPicSetLtCurr reference picture subset.

The video coder may code the current picture based on the reference picture list or lists (108). For instance, the video coder may construct at least one of a first reference picture list and a second reference picture list based on the derived reference picture set. The video coder may then code the current picture based on at least one of the first reference picture list and the second reference picture list.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation of deriving a reference picture set. For purposes of illustration only, the method of FIG. 7 may be performed by a video coder corresponding to either video encoder 20 or video decoder 30.

The video coder determines that a reference picture set for a current picture is to be constructed from reference pictures identified in a parameter set and in a slice header (112). The pictures included in the parameter set and the pictures included in the slice header can be selected for inclusion in the parameter set and slice header such that a distance between the current picture and any of the reference pictures identified in the slice header is greater than a distance between the current picture and any of the reference pictures identified in the parameter set. Based on the reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the slice header, the video coder can construct the reference picture set (114). From the constructed reference picture set, the video coder can construct an initial reference picture list without reordering the constructed reference picture set (116). The parameter set can, for example, include PPS. The distance between the current picture and the reference picture can be determined based on a delta picture order count value as described above.

In one or more examples, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over, as one or more instructions or code, a computer-readable medium and executed by a hardware-based processing unit. Computer-readable media may include computer-readable storage media, which corresponds to a tangible medium such as data storage media, or communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another, e.g., according to a communication protocol. In this manner, computer-readable media generally may correspond to (1) tangible computer-readable storage media which is non-transitory or (2) a communication medium such as a signal or carrier wave. Data storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by one or more computers or one or more processors to retrieve instructions, code and/or data structures for implementation of the techniques described in this disclosure. A computer program product may include a computer-readable medium.

By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable storage media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices, flash memory, or any other medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if instructions are transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. It should be understood, however, that computer-readable storage media and data storage media do not include connections, carrier waves, signals, or other transient media, but are instead directed to non-transient, tangible storage media. Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and Blu-ray disc, where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

Instructions may be executed by one or more processors, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), general purpose microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry. Accordingly, the term “processor,” as used herein may refer to any of the foregoing structure or any other structure suitable for implementation of the techniques described herein. In addition, in some aspects, the functionality described herein may be provided within dedicated hardware and/or software modules configured for encoding and decoding, or incorporated in a combined codec. Also, the techniques could be fully implemented in one or more circuits or logic elements.

The techniques of this disclosure may be implemented in a wide variety of devices or apparatuses, including a wireless handset, an integrated circuit (IC) or a set of ICs (e.g., a chip set). Various components, modules, or units are described in this disclosure to emphasize functional aspects of devices configured to perform the disclosed techniques, but do not necessarily require realization by different hardware units. Rather, as described above, various units may be combined in a codec hardware unit or provided by a collection of interoperative hardware units, including one or more processors as described above, in conjunction with suitable software and/or firmware.

Various examples have been described. These and other examples are within the scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for coding video data, the method comprising: determining that a reference picture set for a current picture is to be constructed from a first subset of two subsets of reference pictures identified in a parameter set that is signaled either in a same channel as or a different channel from a channel that carries one or more video coding layer (VCL) network abstraction layer (NAL) units associated with the current picture and from a second subset of reference pictures of the two subsets identified in a slice header that is signaled in the same channel as the channel that carries the one or more VCL NAL units associated with the current picture; determining that the first subset of the two subsets and the second subset of the two subsets are signaled separately based on distances between the current picture and the respective pictures in each of the first subset and the second subset; determining that a respective distance, in terms of output order, between the current picture and each reference picture of the first subset of reference pictures identified in the slice header is less than or equal to a value, wherein the distance between the current picture and each reference picture in the first subset is determined based on a delta picture order count (POC) value of the current picture and respective delta POC values of each respective reference picture included in the first subset; determining that a respective distance, in terms of the output order, between the current picture and each reference picture of the second subset of reference pictures identified in the parameter set is greater than the value, wherein the distance between the current picture and each reference picture in the second subset is determined based on the delta POC value of the current picture and respective delta POC values of each respective reference picture included in the second subset; and constructing the reference picture set according to an order based on the first subset of reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the second subset of reference pictures identified in the slice header.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: constructing an initial reference picture list from the constructed reference picture set.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein constructing the initial reference picture list comprises constructing the initial reference picture list without reordering the order of the constructed reference picture set.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter set comprises a picture parameter set (PPS).
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: coding a syntax element indicating the reference picture set for the current picture is to be constructed from the first subset of reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the second subset of reference pictures identified in the slice header.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein coding comprises decoding, the method further comprising: receiving the parameter set; and receiving the slice header.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein coding comprises encoding, the method further comprising: generating the parameter set; and generating the slice header.
 8. A device for coding video data, the device comprising: a memory configured to store at least a portion of the video data; and a video coder comprising one or more processors configured to: determine that a reference picture set for a current picture is to be constructed from a first subset of two subsets of reference pictures identified in a parameter set that is signaled either in a same channel as or a different channel from a channel that carries one or more video coding layer (VCL) network abstraction layer (NAL) units associated with the current picture and from a second subset of reference pictures of the two subsets identified in a slice header that is signaled in the same channel as the channel that carries the one or more VCL NAL units associated with the current picture, determine that the first subset of the two subsets and the second subset of the two subsets are signaled separately based on distances between the current picture and the respective pictures in each of the first subset and the second subset, determine that a respective distance, in terms of output order, between the current picture and each reference picture of the first subset of reference pictures identified in the slice header is less than or equal to a value, wherein the distance between the current picture and each reference picture in the first subset is determined based on a delta picture order count (POC) value of the current picture and respective delta POC values of each respective reference picture included in the first subset, determine that a respective distance, in terms of the output order, between the current picture and each reference picture of the second subset of reference pictures identified in the parameter set is greater than the value, wherein the distance between the current picture and each reference picture in the second subset is determined based on the delta POC value of the current picture and respective delta POC values of each respective reference picture included in the second subset, and construct the reference picture set according to an order based on the first subset of reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the second subset of reference pictures identified in the slice header.
 9. The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors of the video coder are further configured to construct an initial reference picture list from the constructed reference picture set.
 10. The device of claim 9, wherein, to construct the initial reference picture list, the one or more processors of the video coder are configured to construct the initial reference picture list without reordering the order of the constructed reference picture set.
 11. The device of claim 8, wherein the parameter set comprises a picture parameter set (PPS).
 12. The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors of the video coder are further configured to code a syntax element indicating the reference picture set for the current picture is to be constructed from the first subset of reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the second set of reference pictures identified in the slice header.
 13. The device of claim 8, wherein the video coder comprises a video decoder, and wherein the one or more processors of the video decoder are configured to receive the parameter set and receive the slice header.
 14. The device of claim 8, wherein the video coder comprises a video encoder, and wherein the one or more processors of the video encoder are configured to generate the parameter set and generate the slice header.
 15. The device of claim 8, wherein the device comprises at least one of: an integrated circuit; a microprocessor; one or more digital signal processors (DSPs); one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs); a desktop computer; a laptop computer; a tablet computer; a phone; a television; a camera; a display device; a digital media player; a video game console; a video game device; a video streaming device; or a wireless communication device that includes the video coder.
 16. A device for video coding, the device comprising: means for determining that a reference picture set for a current picture is to be constructed from a first subset of two subsets of reference pictures identified in a parameter set that is signaled either in a same channel as or a different channel from a channel that carries one or more video coding layer (VCL) network abstraction layer (NAL) units associated with the current picture and from a second subset of reference pictures of the two subsets identified in a slice header that is signaled in the same channel as the channel that carries the one or more VCL NAL units associated with the current picture; means for determining that the first subset of the two subsets and the second subset of the two subsets are signaled separately based on distances between the current picture and the respective pictures in each of the first subset and the second subset; means for determining that a respective distance, in terms of output order, between the current picture and each reference picture of the first subset of reference pictures identified in the slice header is less than or equal to a value, wherein the distance between the current picture and each reference picture in the first subset is determined based on a delta picture order count (POC) value of the current picture and respective delta POC values of each respective reference picture included in the first subset; means for determining that a respective distance, in terms of the output order, between the current picture and each reference picture of the reference pictures identified in the parameter set is greater than the value, wherein the distance between the current picture and each reference picture in the second subset is determined based on the delta POC value of the current picture and respective delta POC values of each respective reference picture included in the second subset; and means for constructing the reference picture set according to an order based on the first subset of reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the second subset of reference pictures identified in the slice header.
 17. The device of claim 16, further comprising: means for constructing an initial reference picture list from the constructed reference picture set.
 18. The device of claim 17, wherein the means for constructing the initial reference picture list comprises means for constructing the initial reference picture list without reordering the order of the constructed reference picture set.
 19. The device of claim 16, wherein the parameter set comprises a picture parameter set (PPS).
 20. The device of claim 16, further comprising: means for coding a syntax element indicating the reference picture set for the current picture is to be constructed from the first subset of reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the second subset of reference pictures identified in the slice header.
 21. The device of claim 16, further comprising: means for decoding encoded video data; and means for receiving the parameter set and means for receiving the slice header.
 22. The device of claim 16, further comprising: means for encoding video data; and means for generating the parameter set and means for generating the slice header.
 23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instruction, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: determine that a reference picture set for a current picture is to be constructed from a first subset of two subsets of reference pictures identified in a parameter set that is signaled either in a same channel as or a different channel from a channel that carries one or more video coding layer (VCL) network abstraction layer (NAL) units associated with the current picture and from a second subset of reference pictures of the two subsets identified in a slice header that is signaled in the same channel as the channel that carries the one or more VCL NAL units associated with the current picture; determine that the first subset of the two subsets and the second subset of the two subsets are signaled separately based on distances between the current picture and the respective pictures in each of the first subset and the second subset; determine that a respective distance, in terms of output order, between the current picture and each reference picture of the first subset of reference pictures identified in the slice header is less than or equal to a value, wherein the distance between the current picture and each reference picture in the first subset is determined based on a delta picture order count (POC) value of the current picture and respective delta POC values of each respective reference picture included in the first subset; determine that a respective distance, in terms of the output order, between the current picture and each reference picture of the second subset of reference pictures identified in the parameter set is greater than the value, wherein the distance between the current picture and each reference picture in the second subset is determined based on the delta POC value of the current picture and respective delta POC values of each respective reference picture included in the second subset; and construct the reference picture set according to an order based on the first subset of reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the second subset of reference pictures identified in the slice header.
 24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, further storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: construct an initial reference picture list from the constructed reference picture set.
 25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24 further storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to construct the initial reference picture list by constructing the initial reference picture list without reordering the order of the constructed reference picture set.
 26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the parameter set comprises a picture parameter set (PPS).
 27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24, storing further instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to code a syntax element indicating the reference picture set for the current picture is to be constructed from the first set of reference pictures identified in the parameter set and the second subset of reference pictures identified in the slice header.
 28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the one or more processors comprise a video decoder and wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium store further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive the parameter set and receive the slice header.
 29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the one or more processors comprise a video decoder and wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium store further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to generate the parameter set and generate the slice header.
 30. The device of claim 8, wherein the video coder comprises a video decoder, wherein the device is a wireless communication device, and wherein the device further comprises a receiver configured to: receive the parameter set; receive the slice header; and receive the one or more VCL NAL units associated with the current picture.
 31. The device of claim 30, wherein the wireless communication device is a cellular telephone, and wherein the receiver is further configured to demodulate a signal comprising the video data that includes the parameter set, the slice header, and the one or more NAL units according to a wireless communication standard.
 32. The device of claim 16, wherein the device is a wireless communication device, the device further comprising: means for decoding video data; means for receiving the parameter set; means for receiving the slice header; and means for receive the one or more VCL NAL units associated with the current picture.
 33. The device of claim 32, wherein the wireless communication device is a cellular telephone, and wherein the device further comprises: means for demodulating a signal comprising the video data that includes the parameter set, the slice header, and the one or more NAL units according to a wireless communication standard. 